Slaty-backed Gull
Slaty-backed Gull
Larus schistisagus
At a Glance
Resident along the coastlines of northeastern Asia, this big gull is a regular summer visitor to western Alaska, usually in small numbers. In winter, it has appeared as a rare stray at widely scattered points in North America, as far east as New England and as far south as Texas.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Gull-like Birds, Gulls and Terns
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Coasts and Shorelines, Landfills and Dumps, Saltwater Wetlands, Tundra and Boreal Habitats
Region
Alaska and The North
Behavior
Swimming
Population
340.000
Range & Identification
Description
27" (68.5 cm). The only blackish-backed gull likely in western Alaska (but note that some Herring Gulls in western Alaska are slightly darker-backed than those elsewhere). Pink legs, noticeable pattern of white in wingtips.
Size
About the size of a Heron, About the size of a Mallard or Herring Gull
Color
Black, Gray, Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Wing Shape
Broad, Pointed, Tapered
Tail Shape
Rounded, Short, Square-tipped
Songs and Calls
Similar to that of Herring Gull, but deeper and more guttural.
Call Pattern
Falling, Flat
Call Type
Raucous, Scream
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