Great Black-headed Gull
Introduction
A 'does what it says on the tin' name (it is also known as Pallas' Gull), Great Black-headed Gull is an extremely rare visitor from south-eastern Europe, with one accepted record (1859).
Key Stats
Status and Trends
Conservation Status
Population Size
Population Change
Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.
Distribution
In winter, Great Black-backed Gulls occur around the coast of Britain & Ireland, as well as at inland, lowland sites in England and Scotland. They breed mostly along the coast, though are largely absent from most of the North Sea coast between Lothian and Kent. Densities are highest in the Northern Isles, northwest Scotland and western Ireland.
European Distribution Map
Distribution Change
There has been a substantial 30% decline in range in Ireland since the 1968–72 Breeding Atlas, though much of this loss occurred between 1968–72 and 1988–91. A recent decline is apparent in western Scotland but is outweighed by gains elsewhere in Britain, especially along the English south coast.
Seasonality
This species has been too rarely reported to BirdTrack during 2011–22 to properly assess seasonality.
Movement
Britain & Ireland movement
European movements
EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.
The Eurasian-African Migration Atlas shows movements of individual birds ringed or recovered in Europe. See maps for this species here.
Biology
Survival and Longevity
Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.
Classification, names and codes
Classification and Codes
- Order: Charadriiformes
- Family: Laridae
- Scientific name: Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus
- Authority: Pallas, 1773
- BTO 5-letter code: GBHGU
- Euring code number: 5730
Alternate species names
- Catalan: gavinot capnegre
- Czech: racek velký
- Danish: Stor Sorthovedet Måge
- Dutch: Reuzenzwartkopmeeuw
- Estonian: stepikajakas
- Finnish: mustapäälokki
- French: Goéland ichthyaète
- German: Fischmöwe
- Hungarian: halászsirály
- Icelandic: Fiskimáfur
- Italian: Gabbiano di Pallas
- Latvian: zivju kaija
- Lithuanian: kiras kvatoklis
- Norwegian: Steppemåke
- Polish: (mewa) orlica
- Portuguese: gaivotão-de-cabeça-preta
- Slovak: cajka orlia
- Slovenian: ribji galeb
- Spanish: Gavión cabecinegro
- Swedish: svarthuvad trut
