Gulls and terns · Shorebirds
Pallas's Gull
Copied!
Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus
Copied!
How to recognize it
-
55–72 cm, very large
-
Glossy black hood, white body
-
Grey back and wings
-
Orange-yellow bill with black band, yellow legs
About the species
Pallas’s Gull is a large gull with a black hood in summer, grey wings, and a strong yellow bill with a red tip. In flight, the white wing tips show clear black-and-white contrast, and in other plumages a dark mask remains across the eye.
It breeds in colonies and can be quite noisy there, though it is mostly quiet away from the nesting grounds. Its main call is a deep, nasal “aargh”, and young gulls need four years before they reach adult plumage.
It nests on the ground in marshes and on islands, then moves south for winter. It takes fish, crustaceans, insects, and small mammals, and it turns up far outside its core range only as a stray.
Where to find
-
On big waters with shallow edges — reed fringes and sandy spits, where a group stands almost in a line on the ground and calls loudly.
-
On islets and sandbars in river channels — especially where open water lies close to bare ground for nesting.
-
Around fish docks and waterfronts with scraps of fish — most easily in the morning, when Pallas's Gull circles low and lands in a tight cluster.
-
At salt lakes and lagoons — look for the heavy low flight over the water and the sharp, nasal calls.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Pallas's gull Encyclopedia article