Kelp Gull

Identification

The kelp gull is a large, powerfully built gull ranging from 54 to 65 cm in length with a wingspan of 128 to 142 cm. Adults are striking in appearance, with black upper parts and wings contrasting sharply against a white head, underparts, and tail. Small white "mirrors" mark the wing tips, and the yellow bill features a distinctive red spot. The legs are greenish-yellow, appearing brighter and more yellow during breeding season and duller and greener outside the breeding period. The species is intermediate in size between the lesser black-backed and great black-backed gulls of the Atlantic, which it superficially resembles.

Juveniles look quite different, displaying overall grey-brown plumage densely edged in white, with dull legs and a black bill marked by a dark tail band. They develop a pale bill base and largely white head and underparts relatively quickly, but take three to four years to reach full adult plumage. The subspecies L. d. vetula (Cape gull) of Southern Africa can be distinguished by its more angular head shape, smaller and shorter bill, and notably darker eye, whereas the nominate kelp gull typically has a pale eye.

Range & Habitat

The kelp gull breeds on coasts and islands throughout much of the Southern Hemisphere. The nominate subspecies L. d. dominicanus occurs around South America, parts of Australia (where it overlaps with the Pacific gull), and New Zealand, where it is known locally as the black-backed gull, southern black-backed gull, mollyhawk, or by its Māori name karoro. The subspecies L. d. vetula, called the Cape gull, inhabits Southern African coasts, with the Southern African population estimated to include 11,000 breeding pairs and is expanding.

The species is primarily a coastal and island specialist, though it is a rare vagrant to the United States, with the first documented record in 1989 from the Chandeleur Islands in Louisiana. More recently, in 2025, a kelp gull was found living on the roof of a warehouse in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and as of April 2026 has apparently returned to the same site.

Behaviour & Diet

Like most gulls in the genus Larus, kelp gulls are omnivores that both scavenge and hunt small prey. They frequently gather on landfills, and a sharp increase in their population is considered an indicator of environmental degradation. Most notably, kelp gulls have been observed feeding on living right whales since at least 1996, using their powerful beaks to peck down centimetres into the skin and blubber, often creating large open sores measuring up to half a meter in diameter. This remarkable predatory behaviour has been documented in Argentinian waters.

Along rocky Southern African coasts, kelp gulls demonstrate sophisticated tool use, picking up shellfish and repeatedly flying several meters into the air before dropping them onto rocks to break them open. They have also been reported attacking seal pups, pecking out their eyes before attacking the blinded animals in coordinated groups. Nesting occurs in shallow ground depressions lined with vegetation and feathers, with females typically laying 2 or 3 eggs. Both parents care for the young.

Best Time & Places to See It

Kelp gulls are most reliably observed at coastal and island locations throughout the Southern Hemisphere, particularly around South America, southern Australia, New Zealand, and Southern Africa. In New Zealand and Australia, they are year-round residents. In Southern Africa, they can be easily seen at famous locations such as Boulders Beach in Cape Town, where the expanding population makes encounters frequent. For those interested in observing their remarkable shellfish-handling behaviour, rocky coastal sites are ideal.

The species is best sought at active breeding colonies during the breeding season, or at productive feeding sites including landfills and coastal areas where marine mammals congregate. Outside the Southern Hemisphere, the species is exceptionally rare, though vagrant records and the presence of the Milwaukee individual demonstrate that occasional sightings are possible in unexpected locations.

Photography Tips

The kelp gull's striking black-and-white plumage makes it highly photogenic, particularly in good natural light that emphasizes the contrast between the dark upperparts and white underparts. The red spot on the yellow bill is a distinctive field mark worth capturing in close-up shots. Photographing adults during breeding season will reveal the brighter, more vibrant leg colouration compared to non-breeding birds.

For behavioural photography, rocky coastal sites offer opportunities to capture the species' remarkable shellfish-dropping behaviour and tool use. Patience and a telephoto lens are essential for capturing distant feeding sequences without disturbing the birds. Juvenile birds, with their distinctive grey-brown and whitish plumage, offer different compositional possibilities and may be particularly valuable for documenting the species' age-related plumage variation.