Even for birdwatchers gulls are an acquired taste. However this species, with its elegant proportions, is surely a favourite. Largely confined to the NE Mediterranean it was classified as the world's rarest gull when its population fell to 1,500 in the 1970s. However, probably because of bycatch in the local whitefish industry, the poulation has risen to an estimated 18,000. However because of narrow geographical range and sustainability of main food source it is still classified as 'near-threatened'. This bird was photographed in Deltebre / Delta del Ebro - the core of the species range.
Note thick red bill, heavily curved, with black tip. Localized to beaches near Iberian peninsula. Note also dark, almost black, legs. A bit larger than other gulls in its range, such as [Black-headed Gull], [Mediterranean Gull] and [Slender-billed Gull].
Africa (entire continent rather than south of Sahara)
AN
Antarctica
AO
Atlantic Ocean
AU
Australasia (Wallacea (Indonesian islands east of Wallace's line), New Guinea and its islands, Australia, New Zealand and its subantarctic islands, the Solomons, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu)
PAL
Eurasia (Europe, Asia from the Middle East through central Asia north of the Himalayas, Siberia and northern China to Japan)
IO
Indian Ocean
LA
Latin America (Middle and South America)
MA
Middle America (Mexico through Panama)
NA
North America (includes the Caribbean)
NO
Northern oceans
OR
Oriental Region (South Asia from Pakistan to Taiwan, plus Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and Greater Sundas)