Birdsong field guide
Kelp Gull
Larus dominicanus
The Kelp Gull is a large, powerful gull of the Southern Hemisphere, characterized by its black mantle, white underparts, and robust yellow bill.
What it sounds like
A loud, raucous, and repetitive 'ki-och' or 'ki-wer', often delivered in a 'laughing' long-call sequence.
Field notes
- It is the only gull species that breeds on the Antarctic continent and its surrounding islands.
- In Argentina, certain populations have learned to feed on the skin and blubber of living Southern Right Whales when they surface.
- Adults possess bright yellow legs and a prominent red 'gonys spot' on the lower mandible used for chick feeding signaling.
- The species is a four-year gull, meaning it takes four years of complex plumage transitions to reach its definitive adult appearance.
- They are highly opportunistic, frequently dropping mollusks from heights onto hard surfaces to break open their shells.
Habitat
Coastal beaches, rocky shores, estuaries, and increasingly common in urban landfills and inland waterways.
Range
Widespread across the Southern Hemisphere, including South America, Southern Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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