GULLS AND TERNS Family Larida 

 IVORY GULL 



39. Pagophila alba. 17 in. 



Entirely pure white with the shafts of the primaries 

 yellowish; bill dark at base and yellow at tip; eyes 

 brown, surrounded by a narrow red ring; feet black. 

 Young birds are spotted with brown on the head, tips 

 of wing and tail. This beautiful " Snow Gull," as it is 

 called by whalers, is abundant at its breeding ground 

 in the Arctic regions, but is rarely seen as far south 

 as the United States. It breeds the farthest north of 

 any of the gulls except Ross Gull. 



Nest. Of grasses and seaweed, usually on ledges cf 

 cliffs, but occasionally on the ground farther inland. 

 The three eggs, laid in June, are grayish-buff, marked 

 with brown and black (2.30x1.70). 



Range. Breeds only north of the Arctic Circle, and 

 winters south to New Brunswick and British Columbia; 

 casually to Long Island and the Great Lakes. 



