Iceland Gull
Iceland GullIceland GullIceland GullIceland Gull

Iceland Gull

Larus glaucoides

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Insufficient data
overall probability at El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve
3 Verified records at El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The Iceland gull (Larus glaucoides) is a medium-sized gull that breeds in the Arctic regions of Canada and Greenland, but not in Iceland (as its name suggests), where it is only seen during winter. The genus name is from Latin larus, which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird. The specific name glaucoides denotes its resemblance to Larus glaucus, a synonym of Larus hyperboreus, the glaucous gull; -oides is Ancient Greek and means "resembling". Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve

Western Gull
LC

Western Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus occidentalis

60–70% · Likely
Ring-billed Gull
LC

Ring-billed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus delawarensis

40–50% · Likely
California Gull
LC

California Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus californicus

20–30% · Possible
American Herring Gull
LC

American Herring Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus smithsonianus

20–30% · Possible
Heermann's Gull
NT

Heermann's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus heermanni

20–30% · Possible
Lesser Black-backed Gull
LC

Lesser Black-backed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus fuscus

Insufficient data
Yellow-footed Gull
LC

Yellow-footed Gull

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Larus livens

<5% · Rare
Glaucous-winged Gull
LC

Glaucous-winged Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus glaucescens

<5% · Rare
Glaucous Gull
LC

Glaucous Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus hyperboreus

Insufficient data
Caspian Tern
LC

Caspian Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hydroprogne caspia

30–40% · Possible
Royal Tern

Royal Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus maximus

20–30% · Possible
Forster's Tern
LC

Forster's Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna forsteri

20–30% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of Iceland Gull at El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ 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 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
20–30%
2 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
3 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
4 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
5 Redwood National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
6 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
7 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
8 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
9 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
10 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
11 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
12 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Insufficient data
13 Thingvellir National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
Insufficient data
14 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
15 Voyageurs National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
16 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
17 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
18 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
19 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
20 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
Insufficient data
← Back to El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve