Sooty Gull (Larus hemprichii)

Other Names (World)
Sooty Gull, Hemprich's Gull, Aden Gull

Family
Laridae (Gulls, Terns, Skimmers)

Size
42 cm

First Described (Guide)
Bruch, 1853

Habitat
Coasts and inshore islands, harbours and ports. Hardly ever seen inland or at freshwater.

Range (Guide)

Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran [Islamic Republic of] (NB) (P), Kenya, Mozambique, Oman (B) (NB) (P), Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (B), Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania [United Republic of], United Arab Emirates (B), Yemen (B) (NB) (P).

Vagrant to India, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Maldives, Sri Lanka.

Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, east to southern Pakistan, and south to northern Kenya (Kiunga Is).

Population
Estimated population is 150,000 - 300,000 (2010).

Status LC
Oil exploration, land reclamation, egg collection are the main threats.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (24)...)

Sooty Gull (Ichthyaetus hemprichii) [XC794734]
by Alain Malengreau from Sharma, Duba, Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia (alarm call, flight call)

Sooty Gull (Ichthyaetus hemprichii) [XC685994]
by Guy Kirwan from pelagic off Mirbat, Oman (call, song)

Nest
A scrape or depression in bare coral, under mangrove bushes on a bed of leaves, under Suaeda bushes in loose sand, or under low hanging coral (Red Sea) on exposed promontories. Usually in colonies, but solitary pairs in Africa.

Subspecies
Morphometrically linked with Grey Gull (Larus modestus) and White-eyed Gull (Larus leucophthalmus).

No subspecies.

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Sooty Gull (Larus hemprichii) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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