# Ross's Gull (*Rhodostethia rosea*) Ross's Gull is a beautiful bird with a pinkish body and a black cap on its head. It loves to live near icy waters and is known for its graceful flying. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Ross's Gull](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Rhodostethia_rosea%252C_Shiretoko%252C_Japan.jpg&width=800) Photo: Hiraku Senzaki, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rhodostethia_rosea%252C_Shiretoko%252C_Japan.jpg) ## Appearance The Ross's Gull is a small, elegant bird distinguished by its delicate, pale rose-pink blush on its underparts. It has a small head, a short, dark bill, and a unique wedge-shaped tail. Its back and upperwings are light grey, contrasting with a thin black neck collar in breeding plumage. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Laridae - **Genus:** Rhodostethia ## Interesting facts - It nests on the ground in the most remote parts of the Arctic tundra! - Its call is a soft 'kew-kew,' much quieter than most other gulls! - Sometimes, it flies low over cracks in sea ice to find tiny snacks. - This gull's exact migration path was a mystery for a very long time. ## Special abilities - **Arctic Navigator:** Ross's Gull has incredible navigation skills that help it find remote breeding grounds and survive vast Arctic journeys. - **Icy Water Forager:** Ross's Gull can gracefully hover and pluck small prey from the surface of freezing Arctic waters, helping them hunt. - **Wedge-Tail Steering:** Ross's Gull has a unique wedge-shaped tail that helps it steer quickly, allowing for agile flight through arctic winds. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 29-32 cm - **Wingspan:** 73-84 cm - **Weight:** 0.14-0.22 kg - **Lifespan:** 8-15 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-3 - **Incubation:** 20-22 days - **Migration Distance:** 5000 km ## Diet & Feeding This dainty gull mainly eats small ocean creatures and tiny fish found in icy Arctic waters. - **Primary Foods:** Arctic Cod, Copepods, Amphipods, Larval insects, Small crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Arctic Cod (*Boreogadus saida*) — Main food source in icy waters. - **Hunts:** Copepod (*Calanus finmarchicus*) — Feeds on tiny zooplankton. - **Eaten by:** [Arctic Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arctic-fox) (*Vulpes lagopus*) — Arctic foxes sometimes raid nests. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Ross's Gull? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Ross's Gull? 29-32 cm ### What is Ross's Gull's wingspan? 73-84 cm ### How much does Ross's Gull weigh? 0.14-0.22 kg ### How long does Ross's Gull live? 8-15 years ### How fast can Ross's Gull move? 50 km/h ### What does Ross's Gull eat? This dainty gull mainly eats small ocean creatures and tiny fish found in icy Arctic waters. ### Where is Ross's Gull usually found? Coastal areas ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Ross's Gull: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rosss-gull)