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Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) Alternate name(s): "Dominican Gull", "Southern Black-headed Gull" Size: 55-60 cm; wing span 1.3-1.4 m Body mass: 540-1390 g; 940 g (average) Wing loading [g/cm2]: ca. 0.39

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Kelp Gulls are medium-sized gulls. They have a white plumage with black wings. The upperwings are black, with a thin white fringe. The tail is white. They have a slightly down-curved yellow bill with a red tip on the lower mandible. The legs and feet are pale yellow. The irises are white. Juvenile and immature Kelp Gulls are all mottled dark and light brown, with a grey bill and grey legs and feet. Over the course of 3 years they gradually moult into adult plumage. Twitcher's tip Compared to Pacific Gulls, the Kelp Gull has a much less conspicuous bill and is overall more slender and smaller.

Taxonomy, classification See Kelp Gull at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Kelp Gull is available HERE . Kelp Gulls are birds of the Southern Ocean which populate the coastlines of all southern continents, including Antarctica. Nominate race "dominicanus" can be found in South America, southern Australia and New Zealand. Kelp Gulls, nominate race "dominicanus", have started colonising Australia only in the 1950ies. So far they have been reported most regularly on the East and North coast of Tasmania and the South and South-East coast of VIC and NSW. There are some reports from the Eucla in WA and the southern parts of the East coast of QLD. Kelp Gulls live in coastal waters and have a preference for roosting on rockfaces.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "dominicanus" B. Hensen reports spotting a Kelp Gull, race "dominicanus", at Point Banks, Sydney, NSW, in June 2013, and again in December 2017. M. Eaton reports finding a Kelp Gull, race "dominicanus", at Wellington Point, Brisbane, QLD, in January 2019. Others were found by M. Eaton at Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, TAS, in April 2021. Next, a Kelp Gull was found in Hobart, TAS, in September 2024. Other photos shown below were obtained by A. Ross-Taylor in New Zealand.

Photos

Race "dominicanus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Kelp Gull looking sideways; note the characteristic red spot on the lower mandible (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hobart, TAS, September 2024]

Near-frontal view of a Kelp Gull looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hobart, TAS, September 2024]

Near-lateral view of a Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hobart, TAS, September 2024]

Lateral view of a Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hobart, TAS, September 2024]

Near-lateral view of a Kelp Gull looking sideways; note the characteristic red spot on the lower mandible and the broad white trailing edge on the wing (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hobart, TAS, September 2024]

Near-lateral view of a Kelp Gull looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hobart, TAS, September 2024]

Lateral view of a Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hobart, TAS, September 2024]

Lateral view of a Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Hobart, TAS, September 2024]

Direct size comparison between an adult Kelp Gull, back, and a Silver Gull, front (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[May 2014]

Lateral view of a Kelp Gull in flight (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[December 2024]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Kelp Gull in the final stages of moulting into adult plumage; note the typical relatively slim bill with its red dot, the all-white body, the narrow white leading edge of the wings (all of which are indicative of adult plumage), but the still black terminal band on the tail of a sub-adult bird (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Cape Banks, Sydney, NSW, December 2017]

Kelp Gull in the final stages of moulting into adult plumage; note the typical relatively slim bill with its red dot, the all-white body, the narrow white leading edge of the wings (all of which are indicative of adult plumage), but the still black terminal band on the tail of a sub-adult bird (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Cape Banks, Sydney, NSW, December 2017]

Kelp Gull in the final stages of moulting into adult plumage; both the scalloping on the underwing and the black terminal band on the undertail are indicative of a sub-adult bird (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Cape Banks, Sydney, NSW, December 2017]

Frontal view of a third-year(?) Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wellington Point, Brisbane, QLD, January 2019]

Near-frontal view of a third-year(?) Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wellington Point, Brisbane, QLD, January 2019]

Lateral view of a third-year(?) Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wellington Point, Brisbane, QLD, January 2019]

Lateral view of a third-year(?) Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Wellington Point, Brisbane, QLD, January 2019]

Lateral view of a third-year Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Lateral view of a second-year(?) Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[May 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a second-year Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Dorsal view of a second-year Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Lateral view of a first-year(?) Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[May 2014]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a first-year(?) Kelp Gull in flight (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[May 2014]

Near-lateral view of two juvenile Kelp Gulls (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Kelp Gull (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Lateral view of two juvenile Kelp Gulls (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Lateral view of three juvenile Kelp Gulls (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: ?

Mobility: Sedentary/dispersive

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Food, Diet

Juvenile Kelp Gull with its prey, a mussel (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Adventure Bay, Bruny Island, TAS, April 2021]

Dorsal view of a Kelp Gull with its catch, which looks like a mussel (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[May 2014]

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