Gulls and terns · Shorebirds
Pallas's Gull
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Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus
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How to recognize it
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55–72 cm long
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In summer adults: glossy black hood, ash-gray back and wings, white mirrors at the wingtips
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Deep, nasal call in flight
About the species
In summer, a glossy black hood contrasts with a white body and pale grey back and wings. White patches at the wing tips show clearly in flight, while yellow legs and an orange-yellow bill tipped red add small flashes of color. In other plumages, the hood is reduced to a dark mask through the eye.
When a threat approaches a colony, adults may line up on the ground and call from several dozen metres away. The flight call is a deep, nasal "aargh"; colonies can be noisy, though the gulls are mostly quiet while breeding. Chicks may gather in shared nurseries, with some adults guarding while others forage.
It breeds in marshes and on islands from southern Russia east to Mongolia, nesting on the ground in colonies. It takes fish, crustaceans, insects and even small mammals. After breeding, it migrates to winter in the eastern Mediterranean, Arabia and India.
Where to find
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During the breeding season, scan marshes and islands from southern Russia to Mongolia for closely spaced ground nests.
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If alarmed at a nesting colony, adults line up on the ground and give piercing calls — usually from several dozen metres away from the source of the threat.
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In winter in the eastern Mediterranean, listen for a deep, nasal call as it flies overhead.
