Rissa tridactyla
| Conservation status | Local populations fluctuate considerably. In recent decades, major increases in some eastern Canadian colonies, major decreases at some in Bering Sea. Climate change is likely to have negative impacts on many bird species of the far north. |
|---|---|
| Family | Gulls and Terns |
| Habitat | Chiefly oceanic. Spends most of year at sea, with wide range of conditions, from edge of pack ice to moderately warm waters off Baja. Favors areas of upwellings, and sometimes concentrates over edge of continental shelf, but may occur from coast to hundreds of miles out. Nests on ledges of steep cliffs on northern islands and mainland. |
Does much foraging in flight, dipping down to take items at surface or plunging into water to take prey below surface; also feeds by seizing items at surface while swimming.
1-3. Variable, olive or pale blue to tan, speckled with darker brown and gray. Incubation is by both parents, 25-28 days. Young: Remain in nest until ready to fly, are fed by both parents. Age at first flight 34-58 days; young may return to nest at night for several weeks.
Remain in nest until ready to fly, are fed by both parents. Age at first flight 34-58 days; young may return to nest at night for several weeks.
Mostly fish. Feeds mainly on small fish, often concentrating on one or two locally abundant species (such as sand lance or pollock). If fish numbers are low, eats many crustaceans, often including many euphausiid shrimp. Also eats marine worms, mollusks, small squid, insects, rarely plant material. Unlike most gulls, does not feed at garbage dumps.
First breeds at age of 3-5 years. Male displays to attract female by going through "choking" motions, jerking head up and down with bill gradually opening. Pairs display by nodding heads, crossing necks; male feeds female. Nest site is on cliff ledge, often quite narrow; sometimes on boulders or on ground. (In Europe also nests on building ledges and roofs.) Nest (built by both sexes, with male bringing most of material) is mound of mud, grasses, seaweed, with shallow depression at center.
Audubon’s scientists have used 140 million bird observations and sophisticated climate models to project how climate change will affect this bird’s range in the future.
Zoom in to see how this species’s current range will shift, expand, and contract under increased global temperatures.
Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.
DILLINGHAM, AK – The U.S.
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