Armenian Gull - A Field Guide to Birds of Armenia ::Acopian Center for the Environment

Armenian Gull

Larus armenicus

Armenian Name:	Հայկական որոր
Species Status:	Threatened Species - Species of Special Concern

Armenian Name:

Հայկական որոր

Species Status:

Threatened Species - Species of Special Concern

Resident Status:	Year-round resident
Abundance:	Common
Length:	55-60 cm, Wing Span:131-143 cm
Distribution Map:	Map 155.
Description:	Dark eyes, yellow legs, and dark-banded bill.
Adult:	In flight, shows extensive black area on outerwing with one white patch on outermost primary. About 90% of birds have a dark iris (brown to yellowish-gray).
Adult (Breeding):	White head, underparts and tail; light gray upperparts. Legs bright orange-yellow. Bill yellow with obvious red spot near tip of lower mandible and, on about 10% of birds, a narrow black subterminal band.
Adult (Non-breeding):	Bill has pale yellow tip with a well-defined black subterminal band obscuring red spot. Legs duller.
Juvenile:	Dark bill; pinkish legs. Whitish head, neck, and body with finely-streaked crown and denser brown spots and streaks on nape and hindneck. Mantle and scapulars brown-gray. Outer primaries and secondaries blackish-brown contrasting with lighter upperwing coverts; usually shows a paler area on inner primaries. Clear dark underwing bar on secondaries.
First Winter:	Upperparts similar to juvenile but underparts are whiter and less-streaked.
Similar Species:	Differs from Yellow-legged Gull by usually showing a dark iris and black bill band.
Behavior:	Gregarious. Often in fields and near refuse areas.
Habitat:	Widespread near water.
Food:	Wide variety of animals and plants.
Nest:	Scrape among stones or grass, often under cover of shrubs.
Eggs:	70 mm, 3, greenish-brown, brown spots.

Resident Status:

Year-round resident

Abundance:

Common

Length:

55-60 cm, Wing Span:131-143 cm

Distribution Map:

Map 155.

Description:

Dark eyes, yellow legs, and dark-banded bill.

Adult:

In flight, shows extensive black area on outerwing with one white patch on outermost primary. About 90% of birds have a dark iris (brown to yellowish-gray).

Adult (Breeding):

White head, underparts and tail; light gray upperparts. Legs bright orange-yellow. Bill yellow with obvious red spot near tip of lower mandible and, on about 10% of birds, a narrow black subterminal band.

Adult (Non-breeding):

Bill has pale yellow tip with a well-defined black subterminal band obscuring red spot. Legs duller.

Juvenile:

Dark bill; pinkish legs. Whitish head, neck, and body with finely-streaked crown and denser brown spots and streaks on nape and hindneck. Mantle and scapulars brown-gray. Outer primaries and secondaries blackish-brown contrasting with lighter upperwing coverts; usually shows a paler area on inner primaries. Clear dark underwing bar on secondaries.

First Winter:

Upperparts similar to juvenile but underparts are whiter and less-streaked.

Similar Species:

Differs from Yellow-legged Gull by usually showing a dark iris and black bill band.

Behavior:

Gregarious. Often in fields and near refuse areas.

Habitat:

Widespread near water.

Food:

Wide variety of animals and plants.

Nest:

Scrape among stones or grass, often under cover of shrubs.