Leucophaeus atricilla · Laridae
Laughing Gull: When and Where to See It

The Laughing Gull reaches North Carolina first, around late February, and Connecticut last, around late May.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
todayEach county is shaded by the share of complete checklists there that listed the bird, blended with the weeks either side. Darker is more often. It follows where people watch birds, not how many birds there are. How to read it.
Pooled across every state in the data, so it leans toward states with the most birders.
States, in order of first arrivals
| State | First arrivals | Peak | Most gone by | Peak % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | Feb 22-28 | Aug 8-14 | Dec 1-7 | 14% |
| Virginia | Mar 1-7 | Aug 8-14 | Dec 1-7 | 14% |
| Maryland | Mar 8-14 | Aug 15-21 | Nov 22-30 | 15% |
| Delaware | Mar 15-21 | Aug 1-7 | Oct 15-21 | 50% |
| New Jersey | Mar 15-21 | Aug 8-14 | Oct 15-21 | 33% |
| Alabama | Mar 15-21 | Apr 8-14 | May 1-7 | 22% |
| Louisiana | Mar 22-31 | Apr 15-21 | May 8-14 | 30% |
| Massachusetts | Apr 1-7 | Aug 15-21 | Nov 1-7 | 15% |
| New York | Apr 1-7 | Aug 8-14 | Nov 8-14 | 11% |
| Maine | Apr 22-30 | Aug 22-31 | Oct 15-21 | 8.3% |
| Rhode Island | May 22-31 | Aug 15-21 | Nov 1-7 | 35% |
| Connecticut | May 22-31 | Aug 15-21 | Nov 8-14 | 14% |
| District of Columbia | Jul 8-14 | Aug 15-21 | Nov 1-7 | 18% |
| Pennsylvania | Jul 8-14 | Aug 8-14 | Nov 1-7 | 1.5% |
| Hawaii | Dec 8-14 | Feb 22-28 | Apr 22-30 | 2.4% |
| Florida | – | Apr 15-21 | – | 23% |
| Mississippi | – | Apr 15-21 | – | 22% |
| South Carolina | – | Aug 1-7 | – | 21% |
| Texas | – | Apr 15-21 | – | 18% |
| Georgia | – | Oct 8-14 | – | 5.3% |
Winter visitor in: Hawaii
Passes through: Alabama, Louisiana
Summer visitor in: District of Columbia, Pennsylvania