Ross's Gull
Rhodostethia rosea
楔尾鸥
Introduction
A small gull belonging to the family Laridae. It is the sole species in its genus, though taxonomic relationships suggest potential merging with Hydrocoloeus, which contains the little gull. This species breeds in the high Arctic regions of northernmost North America and northeast Siberia. It inhabits tundra landscapes characterized by sedges, grass tussocks, dwarf willows, bushes, lichens, and pools. Among its most distinctive features is the summer plumage with a pink flush to the body feathering and a neat black neck ring. It breeds in small colonies on tundra and swampy Arctic estuaries, often nesting alongside Arctic terns.
Description
A small gull measuring 29-31 cm in length with a wingspan of 90-100 cm and weighing 140-250 g. In general appearance, it closely resembles the little gull but is slightly larger with longer wings. The wings are more pointed and the tail is distinctly wedge-shaped. The legs are red. Summer adults are pale grey on the upperparts and white below, with a characteristic pink flush to the body feathering and a neat black neck ring. Winter plumage lacks the neck collar and instead shows a small dark crescent behind the eye; the pink coloration, which is diet-related, may be lost in some individuals. Juveniles resemble winter adults but display a dark W-shaped pattern across the wings in flight, similar to young little gulls, and lack pink tones. Full adult plumage is attained in two years.
Identification
Key identification features include the wedge-shaped tail, red legs, and the pink flush present in summer adults. The black neck ring is a prominent distinguishing mark during the breeding season. Compared to the similar little gull, this species is slightly larger with longer, more pointed wings. In flight, juveniles show a dark W pattern across the wings, distinguishing them from other small gulls. The winter plumage with its dark eye crescent and lack of neck marking differs from the more distinctive summer appearance.
Distribution & Habitat
Breeds in the high Arctic of northernmost North America and northeast Siberia. The summer breeding grounds consist of tundra habitat with sedges, grass tussocks, dwarf willows, bushes, lichens, and pools. This species migrates only short distances south in autumn, with most of the population wintering at northern latitudes along the edge of pack ice in the northern Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk. Some individuals reach more temperate areas, including northwest Europe. Vagrants have been recorded as far south as the Salton Sea in California, though such sightings are extremely rare.
Behavior & Ecology
Breeding occurs in small colonies on tundras and swampy Arctic estuaries, often associating with Arctic terns. The nest is constructed on the ground, lined with seaweed, grass, or moss, typically situated on an island within a small lake. Clutch size is two to three eggs, which are olive green with small reddish-brown spots. Incubation lasts approximately three weeks, with chicks fledging after another three weeks. Success rates vary due to predation and adverse weather conditions. The diet consists of any suitable small prey, including fish and crustaceans. During winter, it often feeds on mudflats in a manner similar to waders. The breeding season diet is largely insectivorous, focusing on beetles and flies.
Conservation
IUCN conservation status and population trends are not specified in the source material.
Culture
This species is named after the British explorer James Clark Ross. Its breeding grounds were first discovered in 1905 by Sergei Aleksandrovich Buturlin near the village of Pokhodsk in northeastern Yakutia, where he was serving as a judge.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Laridae
- Genus
- Rhodostethia
- eBird Code
- rosgul
Distribution
breeds western and eastern Greenland (rare), Arctic northeastern Siberia, locally from Taimyr Peninsula to Kolyma River, Arctic northeastern Canada and formerly Churchill, Manitoba (west-central Hudson Bay, east-central Canada); winters Arctic Ocean, in Beaufort (north of Alaska) and Labrador seas (at least)
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.