Nature Photographers Ltd

Ivory Gull - Pagophila eburnea - 1st winter. Length 41-45cm. An elegant and distinctive high Arctic gull. Adult has pure white plumage and black legs. The rounded head, dark eye and dainty bill create an almost dove-like appearance. At close range, note the bluish base and yellow tip to the bill. Juvenile is similar, but the face is grubby-looking and the wings are adorned with neat black spots. The Ivory Gull is typically discovered in the dead of winter and records from our region (a couple in a good year) have a northerly bias. The species often feeds on beached seal and porpoise carcasses in our region.