The familiar Kittiwake to European birders, sadly declining in numbers despite a recent increase bought about by
utilising man made structures for breeding. It is found throughout the north of the Northern hemisphere, breeding coastally and in the Arctic.
Its close relative is, by contrast, extremely range-restricted and whilst there are records of
this species with red legs the jizz and mantle colour are different, sadly an occurence in the Atlantic ocean is extremely unlikely. The
right-hand bird is Pollicaris, the pacific race, which occurs alongside Red-legged.
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HOMEPAGE
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
Rissa tridactyla
