Gulls

Black-legged Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

A graceful, medium-sized gull of the open ocean with solid black wingtips that look dipped in ink, a yellow bill, and black legs. It nests on sheer sea cliffs in dense, noisy colonies.

Current regional viewing notes

Offshore waters of Icy Strait and nearby coastal cliffs; occasionally seen from shore near Hoonah during stormy weather.

Dataset note: This legacy field can be specific to Southeast Alaska/Hoonah and is not a complete statewide range statement.

Habitat

Open ocean and coastal cliff faces for nesting; pelagic outside breeding season.

Diet

Small fish, zooplankton, and marine invertebrates taken from the ocean surface.

Natural history note

Black-legged Kittiwakes are named for their distinctive nasal call — "kitti-waake" — which echoes across their breeding colonies on steep cliff faces.