Red-legged Kittiwake
Rissa brevirostris
Crisp small gull with very limited range; breeds on rocky cliffs on islands in the Bering Sea, from Alaska to Russia; winters on open ocean. Size and plumage most similar to Black-legged Kittiwake, but back is darker gray, yellow bill is shorter, legs are shorter and bright red, and underwing is darker gray. Nonbreeding birds have a dark smudge around eye and a thin gray ear patch. Young birds are similar to nonbreeding adults but with black bill, duller legs, and more contrasting wing pattern.
Identification
The red-legged kittiwake is a very localised subarctic Pacific species. Apart from the distinguishing feature implicit in its name, it is very similar to its better-known relative, the black-legged kittiwake; other differences include the shorter bill, larger eyes, a larger, rounder head, and darker grey wings, and in the juveniles, which barely differ from the adults, lacking the black tail band and "W" across the wings of juvenile black-legged kittiwakes. Juveniles take three years to reach maturity. Adults are 35–39 cm (14–15 in) long, with an 84–92 cm (33–36 in) wingspan and a body mass of 325–510 g (11.5–18.0 oz).<p>Like the Pacific race of black-legged kittiwakes, the red-legged kittiwake has a well-developed hind toe. As occasional individual black-legged kittiwakes have reddish legs, any reports of red-legged away from the subarctic Pacific must record all of the other differences, not just the leg colour, for acceptance by bird recording authorities.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Rissa brevirostris
- Authority
- (Bruch, 1855)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Laridae
- Genus
- Rissa
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- NA : Commander Is. (se Russia), Aleutian and Pribilof is., and St. Matthew I. (n Bering Sea)
- Non-breeding range
- Bering Sea to ice-edge and s of Aleutian Is.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
The red-legged kittiwake feeds on fish such as lanternfish (Myctophidae), squid, and invertebrates. It spends the summer at the cliff breeding colonies, nesting on ledges, and migrates out to sea in September to overwinter in the northwestern Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Alaska.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Hawaiian Crow
Corvus hawaiiensis
This large, black, and extraordinarily loud bird vanished from Hawaiian forests in 2002. Fortunately it survived in aviaries, and captive bred birds began to be released back into the wild in 2016 in remote parts of the Big Island; early signs are promising with several pairs attempting to nest. Known to Native Hawaiians as ʻAlalā, it is the only crow or crow-like bird currently found on the archipelago. It is much bigger than the crows found on the US mainland, and is closer in size to a raven. Gives a variety of loud caws, croaks, and squeals.
Spectacled Duck
Speculanas specularis
A handsome, generally uncommon, and rather shy duck of quiet vegetated lakes, forested rivers, and marshy wetlands; no similar species in range. Usually found in pairs or family groups, sometimes associating with other ducks but as often slightly separate. Sexes look alike with a bold white face patch (“spectacle”), a white collar, and orange legs. The large purplish or bronzy wing panel is often hidden when swimming (an old name for this bird was Bronze-winged Duck).
Golden-tailed Woodpecker
Campethera abingoni
A medium-sized woodpecker with a streaky breast and throat. Golden coloration in the tail is shared with many of Africa’s woodpeckers, and is thus a poor identification feature. The male has a reddish crown and moustache; the female has a faint moustache and dark crown marked red only toward the back of the head. Pairs are resident in savanna, woodland, and forest edge, exploring large branches in the lower and middle canopy while foraging for insects. Often joins flocks. A nasal shrieking “wheeaa-aaaa” call often betrays its presence. Mombasa Woodpecker is smaller than Golden-tailed Woodpecker, with a plainer white throat and a distinctive call.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.