Kamchatka Gull
| Kamchatka Gull | ||||||||||||
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Kamchatka Gull ( Larus schistisagus ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Larus schistisagus | ||||||||||||
| Stejneger , 1884 |
The Kamchatka gull ( Larus schistisagus ) is a species of bird within the seagulls (Larinae). It occurs exclusively on the coasts of the Bering Sea . It is a large, strongly built, monotypical species of gull. The IUCN classifies them as least concern .
Appearance
The Kamchatka gull reaches a body length of 61 to 66 centimeters. The wingspan is 145 to 150 centimeters. It weighs an average of 1.35 kilograms.
In their magnificent dress , Kamchatka gulls have a white head. The beak is yellow with a red spot on the front part of the lower mandible. The inside of the beak is pale pink. The eyes are yellow or yellow-brown. The eye ring is bright red. The underside of the body, trunk and tail are white. The wing covers are slate gray. The wings are whitish at the tip. The feet and legs are pink and in some individuals also bright red.
The plain dress is similar to the magnificent dress, but the top of the head has fine brown dots. The neck and the sides of the neck are dashed more strongly in many individuals. A dark streak runs over the eye.
Fledglings are feathered gray-brown throughout and have a dark brown tail. The beak is initially dark brown in young birds and turns a dull yellow color in the second winter. The downy chicks are spotted brown and pale gray.
Distribution area
The Kamchatka Gull breeds in the eastern part of the Chukchi Peninsula , on Kamchatka and on the northern coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, as well as on the Commander Islands . It is a partial migrant who remains in the breeding area when the ice conditions permit. However, wintering birds can be found as far as Japan.
Way of life
The Kamchatka gull is omnivorous. The food spectrum includes fish and invertebrates, birds and eggs. In the interior, the Kamchatka gull also hunts small rodents. Together with the Bering gull , the Kamchatka gull is one of the most important predators of alken birds . Among other things , it hunts for the rhinoceros , dwarf , bearded , red-beaked , crested lalk and the Brillenteiste .
Kamchatka gulls breed individually as well as in small colonies. They enter into a monogamous association that can last for more than one period of reproduction. The nest is often built some distance from the coast. Often the nest is nothing more than a scratched hollow, but occasionally Kamchatka gulls block plant material on a large scale. The clutch consists of two to three eggs. These are pale brown with darker spots. The breeding season is 26 to 28 days. Both parent birds are involved in the breeding and rearing of the young birds. The young birds can fledge at 40 to 50 days. Kamchatka gulls do not breed for the first time before they are four years old.
supporting documents
literature
- Richard Sale: A Complete Guide to Arctic Wildlife , published by Christopher Helm, London 2006, ISBN 0-7136-7039-8
Single receipts
Web links
- Larus schistisagus inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2014.