Afghanistan (P), Armenia (P), Azerbaijan (B) (NB) (P), Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China (mainland), Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia (NB), Georgia (NB), India, Iran [Islamic Republic of] (NB), Iraq (NB) (P), Israel, Jordan (NB) (P), Kazakhstan (B), Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan (B), Mongolia (B), Myanmar, Nepal, Oman (NB), Pakistan, Qatar, Romania (NB), Russia (Asian) (B), Russia (Central Asian) (B), Russia (European) (B) (NB) (P), Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan (B), Thailand, Turkey (NB), Turkmenistan (E) (B), Ukraine (B) (NB) (P), United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan (B), Yemen.
Vagrant to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria (NB), Cyprus, Denmark, France, Greece, Hong Kong (China), Hungary, Italy (NB), Japan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Maldives, Malta, Netherlands Antilles, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Somalia, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom.
Breeds in a few very small, scattered localities from Black Sea (Crimea) east to L Balkhash and spottily to north-western Mongolia; possibly also northern China (Gansu, Qinghai) and Tibet. Winters on coasts of eastern Mediterranean, Red Sea, southern Caspian Sea and northern Indian Ocean east to Myanmar; south-central Ethiopia.
Population
Estimated population is 50,000 - 1,100,000 (2010).
Status LC
Predation by Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) in its breeding range and by mammals and susceptibility to avian influenz are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Habits
Usually singly or in small groups. In large groups when feeding.
Food
Omnivorous. Mainly fish (particularly dead fish), crustaceans, insects and small mammals, less often taking birds and their eggs, reptiles, and seeds.
Voice
Away from colonies it is generally silent, but occasionally utters a long, deep, nasal crow-like 'aa, aagh' or 'kra-ah' during flight.
Pallas's Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus) [XC813428]
by Peter Boesman from Maishukur, Kazakhstan (call)
Pallas's Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus) [XC316619]
by Albert Lastukhin from Alekseevskiy rayon, Respublika Tatarstan, Russian Federation (flight call)
Nest
A shallow depression positioned in the open on bare rock, among reeds or scrub vegetation, or on vegetated sand-dunes. In colonies, sometimes near, but not with Herring Gull (Larus argentatus). Also in pairs nut never solitarily.
Subspecies
Despite large size, behavioural repertoire typical of hooded gulls, although behaviour considered distinctive by some. Possibly a link between the hooded and the white-headed gulls.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet