Dolphin Gull
Leucophaeus scoresbii
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusLeucophaeus (Hooded Gulls)
- SpeciesLeucophaeus scoresbii (Dolphin Gull)
The dolphin gull (Leucophaeus scoresbii), sometimes erroneously called the red-billed gull (a somewhat similar but unrelated species from New Zealand), is a gull native to southern Chile and Argentina, and the Falkland Islands. It is a coastal bird inhabiting rocky, muddy and sandy shores and is often found around seabird colonies. They have greyish feathers, and the feathers on their wings are a darker shade. Dolphin gulls have a varied diet, eating many things ranging from mussels to carrion. The modern scientific name Leucophaeus scoresbii, together with the obsolete common name Scoresby's gull, commemorates the English explorer William Scoresby (1789–1857). Wikipedia →
40–50% of wildlife watchers report a Dolphin Gull sighting in Península Valdés, based on 138 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Península Valdés
Dominican Gull
Larus dominicanus
South American Tern
Sterna hirundinacea
Royal Tern
Thalasseus maximus
Brown-hooded Gull
Chroicocephalus maculipennis
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensis
Cabot's Tern
Thalasseus acuflavidus
Olrog's Gull
Larus atlanticus
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
Snowy-crowned Tern
Sterna trudeaui
American Oystercatcher
Haematopus palliatus
Blackish Oystercatcher
Haematopus ater
Snowy Sheathbill
Chionis albus
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
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 | |
| 2 | Tierra del Fuego National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Dolphin Gull in Península Valdés?
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Dolphin Gull sighting in Península Valdés, based on 138 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Dolphin Gull in Península Valdés?
November has the highest sighting rate for Dolphin Gull in Península Valdés in our monthly data.