Photo: Yathin S Krishnappa / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Vulnerable

Shorebirds

Black-legged Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia Birds of Manitoba Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Nova Scotia Birds of Northwest Territories Birds of Nunavut Birds of Ontario Birds of Prince Edward Island

By family

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Alberta Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of British Columbia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Manitoba Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of New Brunswick Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Newfoundland and Labrador Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Nova Scotia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Northwest Territories Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Nunavut Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Ontario Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Prince Edward Island

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The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is a member of the Laridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia and North America. Adults weigh 416 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

VU Vulnerable

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Laridae Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
Genus Rissa
Species tridactyla

Where it lives

High Arctic to temperate northern coasts, from Greenland, Iceland, western, northwestern Europe, Svalbard (north of Norway), northern Siberian is. to Sakhalin, Kamchatka, Kuril and Commander is. (eastern Russia); Aleutian and Bering Sea is., western, southwestern Alaska mainland; Canadian high Arctic (northeastern Canada), Gulf of St. Lawrence and Newfoundland (southeastern Canada)

Quick facts

Weight: 416 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Gull-billed Tern

Gelochelidon nilotica

Least Concern

Australian Tern

Gelochelidon macrotarsa

Vulnerable

Red-legged Kittiwake

Rissa brevirostris

Least Concern

Black-headed Gull

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Black-legged Kittiwake hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.

Migration

The Black-legged Kittiwake is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is a species of gulls, terns, skimmers in the family Laridae, order Charadriiformes. It is found in Europe & Northern Asia, North America — high Arctic to temperate n coasts, from Greenland, Iceland, w, nw Europe, Svalbard (n of Norway), n Siberian is. to Sakhalin, Kamchatka, Kuril and Commander is. (e Russia); Aleutian and Bering Sea is., w, sw Alaska mainland; Canadian high Arctic (ne Canada), Gulf of St. Lawrence and Newfoundland (se Canada).

Songs & calls

Black-legged Kittiwake — Begging call, call

Recorded by Christian Bøggild Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Black-legged Kittiwake?

The Black-legged Kittiwake is a large bird that weighs around 416 g.

Where does the Black-legged Kittiwake live?

The Black-legged Kittiwake is found across Europe & Northern Asia and North America with a range covering PAL, NA high Arctic to temperate n coasts, from Greenland, Iceland, w, nw Europe, Svalbard (n of Norway), n Siberian is. to Sakhalin, Kamchatka, Kuril and Commander is. (e Russia); Aleutian and Bering Sea is., w, sw Alaska mainland; Canadian high Arctic (ne Canada), Gulf of St. Lawrence and Newfoundland (se Canada), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Black-legged Kittiwake belong to?

The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Black-legged Kittiwake eat?

The Black-legged Kittiwake hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Black-legged Kittiwake migrate?

The Black-legged Kittiwake is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Black-legged Kittiwake endangered?

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

What sound does the Black-legged Kittiwake make?

1 real field recording of the Black-legged Kittiwake — including its begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Black-legged Kittiwake's range?

The Black-legged Kittiwake has a mapped global range of about 2.3 million km².