Dominican Gull
Dominican GullDominican GullDominican GullDominican Gull

Dominican Gull

Larus dominicanus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
90–100% · Very likely
overall probability at Península Valdés
333 Verified records at Península Valdés
February 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 →

90–100% of wildlife watchers report a Dominican Gull sighting in Península Valdés, based on 333 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Península Valdés

Olrog's Gull
NT

Olrog's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus atlanticus

<5% · Rare
South American Tern
LC

South American Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna hirundinacea

40–50% · Likely
Dolphin Gull

Dolphin Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucophaeus scoresbii

40–50% · Possible
Royal Tern

Royal Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus maximus

30–40% · Possible
Brown-hooded Gull

Brown-hooded Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus maculipennis

20–30% · Possible
Sandwich Tern

Sandwich Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus sandvicensis

20–30% · Possible
Cabot's Tern

Cabot's Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus acuflavidus

Insufficient data
Common Tern
LC

Common Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna hirundo

Insufficient data
Snowy-crowned Tern
LC

Snowy-crowned Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna trudeaui

Insufficient data
American Oystercatcher
LC Endemic

American Oystercatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haematopus palliatus

70–80% · Very likely
Blackish Oystercatcher
LC

Blackish Oystercatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haematopus ater

50–60% · Likely
Snowy Sheathbill
LC

Snowy Sheathbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chionis albus

50–60% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

90–100
Jan
90–100
Feb
90–100
Mar
90–100
Apr
90–100
May
90–100
Jun
90–100
Jul
90–100
Aug
80–90
Sep
90–100
Oct
90–100
Nov
90–100
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 Península Valdés?

About 96% of wildlife watchers report a Dominican Gull sighting in Península Valdés, based on 333 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Dominican Gull in Península Valdés?

February has the highest sighting rate for Dominican Gull in Península Valdés in our monthly data.

← Back to Península Valdés