Photo: Original: ほくなん. This edit: MPF / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Slaty-backed Gull
Larus schistisagus
Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus) is a member of the Laridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 1.3 kg. 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 schistisagus
Where it lives
Coasts and lakes of northeastern Siberia south of Anadyr, Kamchatka, Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin, Kuril Is. (eastern Russia), northeastern China, and Hokkaido and northern Honshu (northern Japan)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.3 kg
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Laridae
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Slaty-backed Gull is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of coastal habitats, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Slaty-backed Gull is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus) is a member of the Laridae family, within the order Charadriiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL coasts and lakes of ne Siberia s of Anadyr, Kamchatka, Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin, Kuril Is. (e Russia), ne China, and Hokkaido and n Honshu (n Japan).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.3 kg, with a wing length of about 43.5 cm and a tail of around 17.2 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 1.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Slaty-backed Gull?
The Slaty-backed Gull is a very large bird that weighs around 1.3 kg.
Where does the Slaty-backed Gull live?
The Slaty-backed Gull is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL coasts and lakes of ne Siberia s of Anadyr, Kamchatka, Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin, Kuril Is. (e Russia), ne China, and Hokkaido and n Honshu (n Japan), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Slaty-backed Gull belong to?
The Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.
What does the Slaty-backed Gull eat?
The Slaty-backed Gull is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Slaty-backed Gull migrate?
The Slaty-backed Gull is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Slaty-backed 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 Slaty-backed Gull make?
1 real field recording of the Slaty-backed Gull — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Slaty-backed Gull's range?
The Slaty-backed Gull has a mapped global range of about 1.1 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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