Wildlife Garden DecoBird Black-headed Gull 23.7 cm hand-carved & hand-painted

At a glance

• Large hand-carved and hand-painted black-headed gull
• Model: Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
• Characteristic dark brown head in breeding plumage
• White and light gray plumage with distinctive coloring
• Hand-painted with water-based paint
• Impressive length of 23.7 cm
• Weight: approx. 266 g
• For indoor use
• Includes brochure with information about the bird species
• Delivered in a closed box

Product details

• Brand: Wildlife Garden
• Series: DecoBird
• Bird species: Black-headed gull
• Scientific name: Chroicocephalus ridibundus
• Item number: WG460
• EAN: 7350054762250
• Material: Hand-carved wood
• Painting: Water-based paint
• Length: 23.7 cm
• Width: 7.2 cm
• Height: 16 cm
• Weight: approx. 266 g
• Usage: Indoor
• Packaging: Closed box
• Other: Brochure with information about the bird species

A gull with a dark brown head

The black-headed gull is one of the gull species that is particularly easy to recognize in its breeding plumage. Most striking is the dark chocolate-brown head, which creates a strong contrast to the white and light gray body.

The English name "Black-headed Gull" can be a little misleading: the head markings are not truly black. This very dark shade of brown is precisely what belongs to the characteristic appearance of the black-headed gull.

The black-headed gull – Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Anyone who only thinks of the North Sea and Baltic coasts when they think of gulls is underestimating the black-headed gull. It is by no means just a bird of the coastline; it also occurs far inland.

Lakes, rivers, wetlands, and other bodies of water are also among its habitats. As a result, you can encounter a black-headed gull even far from the sea.

Why is it called a "laughing" gull?

The name has nothing to do with the bird actually laughing. Black-headed gulls are extremely vocal, and their characteristic calls gave the bird its German name.

The Swedish name "Skrattmås" also alludes to this trait. "Skratt" means laughter and "mås" means gull. Here, the German and Swedish bird names tell a very similar story.

The black-headed gull looks different in winter

The striking dark head markings belong to the breeding plumage. Outside of the breeding season, the dark hood largely disappears, and the head appears predominantly white with darker markings in the ear area.

Wildlife Garden depicts the bird with the distinctive dark head markings. This is a good decision, as the black-headed gull is most easily recognized in this plumage.

A large DecoBird weighing 266 grams

With a length of 23.7 cm and a height of 16 cm, the black-headed gull is one of the larger figures in the DecoBird series. Its weight of around 266 g is particularly telling.

This gives it significantly more substance than the series' small tits, finches, or sparrows. Anyone who only sees the figure in a photo can easily underestimate its actual size—which is why, for me, the dimensions and weight of this model absolutely belong at the very beginning of the product description.

Hand-carved and hand-painted

The black-headed gull is carved by hand from wood and subsequently painted by hand with water-based colors.

For this bird species, the depiction relies particularly on the contrast between the dark head markings and the light gray and white tones of the body.

Due to the artisanal production, small differences in carving, wood grain, and paintwork can occur. These are part of the character of a handcrafted DecoBird.

For indoor use

According to the current usage recommendation for the DecoBird series, the hand-carved bird figure is intended for indoor use.

Due to its size, the black-headed gull needs a little more space than a blue tit or a common chaffinch. The elongated gull shape looks particularly effective on a sideboard, a dresser, a larger shelf, or a desk.

With a brochure on the bird species

Wildlife Garden includes a brochure with information about the featured bird species with the black-headed gull.

Because of its size, the figure is delivered in a closed box. This distinguishes it from many smaller DecoBirds, which are offered in a gift box with a viewing window.

My assessment

I like the black-headed gull within the DecoBird series primarily because it immediately introduces a different scale. With a length of 23.7 cm and 266 g, this isn't just a slightly larger tit—the entire body shape and presence are different.

I also find it exciting that many people automatically associate gulls with a vacation at the seaside. For the black-headed gull, this image is only partially true. It belongs just as much to lakes, rivers, and other inland bodies of water.

And then there is its name: the fact that both the German "Lachmöwe" (laughing gull) and the Swedish "Skrattmås" allude to its striking calls fits very nicely with Wildlife Garden. A decorative wooden figure suddenly becomes a small occasion to learn a little more about the real bird.