Great Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed GullGreat Black-backed GullGreat Black-backed GullGreat Black-backed Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Larus marinus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Cairngorms National Park
49 Verified records at Cairngorms National Park
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The great black-backed gull (Larus marinus) is the largest member of the gull and tern family Laridae. It is a very aggressive hunter, pirate and scavenger which breeds on the North Atlantic coasts and islands of northern Europe and northeastern North America. Southern populations are generally sedentary, while those breeding in the far north (northern Norway, northwest Russia) migrate farther south in winter. A few also move inland to large lakes and reservoirs. The adult has a white head, neck and underparts, dark blackish-grey wings and back, pink legs and the bill yellow with a red spot. Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a Great Black-backed Gull sighting in Cairngorms National Park, based on 49 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Cairngorms National Park

Common Gull
LC

Common Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus canus

30–40% · Possible
European Herring Gull
LC

European Herring Gull

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Larus argentatus

10–20% · With luck
Lesser Black-backed Gull
LC

Lesser Black-backed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus fuscus

5–10% · With luck
Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

30–40% · Possible
Common Tern
LC

Common Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna hirundo

<5% · Rare
Black-legged Kittiwake
VU

Black-legged Kittiwake

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rissa tridactyla

Insufficient data
Arctic Tern
LC

Arctic Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna paradisaea

Insufficient data
Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus sandvicensis

Insufficient data
Little Tern
LC

Little Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sternula albifrons

Insufficient data
European Oystercatcher
NT

European Oystercatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haematopus ostralegus

30–40% · Possible
Northern Lapwing
NT

Northern Lapwing

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vanellus vanellus

20–30% · Possible
Eurasian Curlew
NT

Eurasian Curlew

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numenius arquata

20–30% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
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 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
50–60%
2 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
40–50%
3 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
40–50%
4 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
5 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
20–30%
6 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
20–30%
7 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
8 Thingvellir National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
10–20%
9 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
10 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
11 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
12 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Great Black-backed Gull in Cairngorms National Park?

About 2% of wildlife watchers report a Great Black-backed Gull sighting in Cairngorms National Park, based on 49 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Great Black-backed Gull in Cairngorms National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Great Black-backed Gull in Cairngorms National Park in our monthly data.

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