About the Iceland Gull
The Iceland gull is a medium-sized gull that breeds in the Arctic regions of Canada and Greenland, but not in Iceland, where it is only seen during winter. The genus name is from Latin larus, which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird. The specific name glaucoides denotes its resemblance to Larus glaucus, a synonym of Larus hyperboreus, the glaucous gull; -oides is Ancient Greek and means "resembling".
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The Iceland gull is a medium-sized gull, although relatively slender and light in weight. In length, it can measure from 50 to 64 cm (20 to 25 in), wingspan is from 115 to 150 cm (45 to 59 in), and weight is from 480 to 1,100 g (1.06 to 2.43 lb). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 37.9 to 44.3 cm (14.9 to 17.4 in), the bill is 3.6 to 5.4 cm (1.4 to 2.1 in), and the tarsus is 4.9 to 6.7 cm (1.9 to 2.6 in). It is smaller and thinner-billed than the very large glaucous gull, and is usually smaller than the herring gull. It takes four years to reach maturity. Voice: The call is a "laughing" cry like the herring gull, but higher pitched.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Finland, Morocco, Belize, Czechia, Guernsey, Hungary, Jersey.
When to see it
Peak activity in January · a winter visitor species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Heermann's GullLarus heermanniThis species looks distinctly different from other gulls.
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreusThis is a large and powerful gull, second-largest of all gull species and very pale in all plumage, with no black on either the wings or the tail.
Short-billed GullLarus brachyrhynchusThe short-billed gull has a length 40–45 cm (16–18 in) and a wingspan 100–120 cm (39–47 in).
Side by side: Iceland Gull vs Kelp Gull · Iceland Gull vs Short-billed Gull · Heermann's Gull vs Iceland Gull · Glaucous Gull vs Iceland Gull
Learn the Iceland Gull for real
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