Dominican Gull

Larus dominicanus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Cordats)
ClassAves (Aus)
OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
GenusLarus (Large White-headed Gulls)
SpeciesLarus dominicanus (Dominican Gull)

Insufficient data

overall probability at Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve

1 Verified records at Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve

☀️ 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 →

Closest Relatives at Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve

Larus smithsonianus

10–20% · With luck

Larus fuscus

10–20% · With luck

Larus delawarensis

5–10% · With luck

Leucophaeus atricilla

70–80% · Very likely

Thalasseus maximus

60–70% · Likely

Thalasseus sandvicensis

50–60% · Likely

Rynchops niger

40–50% · Likely

Gelochelidon nilotica

Hydroprogne caspia

Sterna forsteri

Sternula antillarum

Thalasseus acuflavidus

Insufficient data

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of Dominican Gull at Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ When They're Spotted

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

☀️Diurnal

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

← Back to Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve

Dominican Gull

Closest Relatives at Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve

American Herring Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Ring-billed Gull

Laughing Gull

Royal Tern

Sandwich Tern

Black Skimmer

Gull-billed Tern

Caspian Tern

Forster's Tern

Least Tern

Cabot's Tern

📅 Monthly Probability

☀️ When They're Spotted

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found