Dolphin Gull

Overview

The dolphin gull (Leucophaeus scoresbii) is a coastal bird native to southern Chile, Argentina, and the Falkland Islands. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated population of 10,000 to 28,000 individuals.

Identification

• Plumage: Greyish feathers overall, with the feathers on the wings being a darker shade.
• Size: Described as a gull, though specific measurements are not provided in the reference material.

Habitat

This species inhabits rocky, muddy, and sandy shores and is frequently found around seabird colonies. Its range extends across the coasts of Chile, Argentina, and the Falkland Islands, with occasional vagrant sightings in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It also utilises anthropogenic environments such as slaughterhouses, sewage outflows, and farmyards.

Diet

The dolphin gull is a scavenger and opportunistic predator that feeds on a varied diet including mussels, carrion, offal, bird eggs, nestlings, and marine invertebrates. It often raids the nests of other seabirds when adults are absent and scavenges for dead fish, placentae, and faeces near marine mammals.

Did you know?

The modern scientific name Leucophaeus scoresbii and the obsolete common name Scoresby's gull commemorate the English explorer William Scoresby (1789–1857).