Ross's Gull

Ross's Gull, adult breeding (Definitive Alternate Plumage).

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About the map

Ross's Gull, adult breeding (Definitive Alternate Plumage).

Menu

1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A small, dove-like gull, the pink Ross's Gull is rarely seen outside of the Arctic. It was unknown in the continental United States until an individual appeared in Newburyport, Massachusetts, in 1975, but sightings now occur nearly every year.

Description

• Small gull.
• Mostly white.
• Pale gray back.
• Whitish or light pink underside.
• Small, dark bill.
• Slightly pointed tail.
• Thin, dark ring around neck in breeding season.

• Size: 29-31 cm (11-12 in)
• Wingspan: 90-100 cm (35-39 in)
• Weight: 140-250 g (4.94-8.83 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Sound

Vagrants usually silent, but may give soft, high-pitched "kew."

Conservation Status

Little information. Remote breeding and wintering areas make assessment of population trends difficult.

Other Names

Mouette rosée (French)

Cool Facts

• During the summer the Ross's Gull eats primarily insects, especially beetles and flies. Some gulls were observed eating algae beneath ice floes.

Sources used to construct this page:

1. American Ornithologists' Union. 1998. Check-list of North American Birds, 7th ed. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.
2. Cramp, S., et. al. 1998. The Complete Birds of the Western Palearctic on CD-ROM. Oxford University Press.