Dolphin Gull

Description:

Spotted this dolphin gull hanging around the imperial cormorants on the beach in Punta Arenas, Chile.

Habitat:

Beach in Punta Arenas, Chile

Notes:

The Dolphin Gull is a Patagonian endemic distributed in the temperate and sub-Antarctic coastline of Chile, Tierra del Fuego and Argentina. It is found along rocky coastline often in the vicinity of fresh water, seabird and marine mammal colonies, slaughterhouses, farmyards and even sewers. Though it could be confused with the two other dark-backed gulls found in its range, Band-tailed and Kelp, its obvious bright red bulbous bill and dusky grey head and underparts make it quite distinctive. Its juvenile plumage is also unique among gulls having a dark gray hood, whitish belly and slaty-brown wing coverts. Its main source of food is scavenged carrion, bird eggs and chicks, other marine invertebrates. It can often be found scavenging around marine mammals for dead fish, placentae, and in particular, feces. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Neotropical Birds http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/por...