The Southern Hemisphere’s tough, street-smart seabird — sleek, sharp-eyed, and always ready for a meal. Found along the coasts of South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and even the icy edges of Antarctica, this adaptable gull is the ocean’s opportunist, thriving wherever land meets sea. Whether it’s soaring over rocky islands, patrolling fishing docks, or raiding a seaside picnic, the kelp gull knows how to make the most of its environment.
In appearance, the kelp gull is strikingly handsome. Adults wear a classic black-and-white suit — a bright white head, chest, and tail offset by deep slate-black wings and back. Their legs are pale greenish-yellow, and their strong, yellow bill features a distinctive red spot near the tip — a natural “feed me” signal chicks peck to trigger feeding. Juveniles, on the other hand, look totally different, dressed in mottled browns and grays as they gradually grow into their adult colors over three or four years. With a wingspan of up to 1.2 meters (nearly 4 feet), this gull isn’t just elegant — it’s built for power and endurance.
But looks aren’t what make the kelp gull famous — it’s their attitude and adaptability. These birds are bold, clever, and not at all picky eaters. Their menu includes fish, shellfish, crabs, seaweed, garbage, and even other birds’ eggs and chicks. They’ve been observed dropping clams or mussels from midair to smash them open on rocks — a smart example of tool use in birds. In some regions, they’ve even taken their daring to new heights (or depths): kelp gulls in Patagonia have been seen pecking at the backs of right whales, feeding on skin and blubber. That’s right — they snack on whales!
Distribution
Angola
Antarctica
Argentina
Australia
Barbados
Bouvet Island
Brazil
Chile
Ecuador
Falkland Islands
French Southern T.
Gabon
Heard & McDonald
Madagascar
Mauritania
Mexico
Mozambique
Namibia
New Zealand
Panama
Peru
Saint Helena
Senegal
Seychelles
South Africa
South Georgia
Trinidad & Tobago
UruguayAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
