Dominican Gull
Dominican GullDominican GullDominican GullDominican Gull

Dominican Gull

Larus dominicanus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
35 Verified records at Aoraki Mount Cook National Park
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The kelp gull (Larus dominicanus), also known as the Dominican gull, is a gull that breeds on coasts and islands through much of the Southern Hemisphere. The nominate L. d. dominicanus is the subspecies found around South America, parts of Australia (where it overlaps with the Pacific gull), and New Zealand (where it is known as the black-backed gull, the southern black-backed gull, mollyhawk – particularly the juveniles, or by its Māori name karoro). L. d. vetula (known as the Cape gull) is a subspecies occurring around Southern Africa. The specific name comes from the Dominican Order of friars, who wear black and white habits. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Dominican Gull sighting in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, based on 35 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Aoraki Mount Cook National Park

Black-fronted Tern
EN Endemic

Black-fronted Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias albostriatus

40–50% · Likely
Black-billed Gull
Endemic

Black-billed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus bulleri

5–10% · With luck
Caspian Tern
LC

Caspian Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hydroprogne caspia

Insufficient data
Silver Gull
Endemic

Silver Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae

Insufficient data
White-winged Tern
LC

White-winged Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias leucopterus

Insufficient data
Masked Lapwing
LC

Masked Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus miles

10–20% · With luck
South Island Pied Oystercatcher
LC Endemic

South Island Pied Oystercatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haematopus finschi

10–20% · With luck
Black Stilt
CR Endemic

Black Stilt

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Himantopus novaezelandiae

5–10% · With luck
Wrybill
VU Endemic

Wrybill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anarhynchus frontalis

5–10% · Rare
White-headed Stilt

White-headed Stilt

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Himantopus leucocephalus

Insufficient data
VOC
LC Endemic

VOC

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haematopus unicolor

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
20–30
Feb
10–20
Mar
10–20
Apr
10–20
May
10–20
Jun
10–20
Jul
20–30
Aug
10–20
Sep
10–20
Oct
10–20
Nov
30–40
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Península Valdés 🇦🇷 Argentina
90–100%
2 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
70–80%
3 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
70–80%
4 Tierra del Fuego National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
70–80%
5 Paracas National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
60–70%
6 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
60–70%
7 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
50–60%
8 Nahuel Huapi National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
50–60%
9 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
50–60%
10 Arthur's Pass National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
40–50%
11 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
40–50%
12 Tongariro National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
30–40%
13 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
30–40%
14 Freycinet National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
20–30%
15 Aoraki Mount Cook National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
10–20%
16 Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park 🇨🇱 Chile
10–20%
17 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
18 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
19 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
5–10%
20 Torres del Paine National Park 🇨🇱 Chile
<5%
21 Wilsons Promontory National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
22 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
23 Galápagos Islands 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
24 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
25 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
26 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
27 Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Dominican Gull in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park?

About 18% of wildlife watchers report a Dominican Gull sighting in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park, based on 35 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Dominican Gull in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Dominican Gull in Aoraki Mount Cook National Park in our monthly data.

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