Photo: Cláudio Dias Timm from Rio Grande do Sul / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Kelp Gull
Larus dominicanus
Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of South America.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) is a member of the Laridae family found in Africa, Australia & Oceania and South America. Adults weigh 952 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Charadriiformes
- Family Laridae Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
- Genus Larus
- Species dominicanus
Where it lives
Coasts of southern continents and is., mostly temperate to Antarctic waters
Quick facts
- Weight
- 952 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Laridae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Kelp Gull is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Kelp Gull is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) belongs to the Laridae family of the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans Africa, Australia & Oceania and South America. Its distribution covers SA, AU, AF coasts of s continents and is., mostly temperate to Antarctic waters.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 952 g, with a wing length of about 40.2 cm and a tail of around 15.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Kelp Gull?
The Kelp Gull is a very large bird that weighs around 952 g.
Where does the Kelp Gull live?
The Kelp Gull is found across Africa, Australia & Oceania and South America with a range covering SA, AU, AF coasts of s continents and is., mostly temperate to Antarctic waters, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Kelp Gull belong to?
The Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Kelp Gull eat?
The Kelp Gull is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Kelp Gull migrate?
The Kelp Gull is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Kelp Gull endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Kelp Gull make?
1 real field recording of the Kelp Gull can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Kelp Gull's range?
The Kelp Gull has a mapped global range of about 3.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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