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The black-headed gull is a small gull that breeds in much of the Palearctic including Europe and also in coastal eastern Canada. Most of the population is migratory and winters further south, but some birds reside in the milder westernmost areas of Europe. The species also occurs in smaller numbers in northeastern North America, where it was formerly known as the common black-headed gull. The black-headed gull was previously placed in the genus Larus but in agreement with the NACC and SACC, and based on Pons et al. and earlier references, extensive changes to the taxonomy of gulls was undertaken and many species of gull were removed from the genus Larus, including the black-headed gull The new genus name Chroicocephalus, replacing Laurus, is taken from the Ancient Greek words khroizo, "to colour", and kephale, "head". The specific name ridibundus is Latin for "laughing a lot". The black-headed gull displays a variety of compelling behaviours and adaptations. Some of these include removing eggshells from the nest after hatching, begging co-ordination between siblings, differences between sexes, conspecific brood parasitism, and extra-pair paternity. They are an overwintering species, found in a variety of different habitats.