Ross's Gull Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesRoss's Gull
Breeding adult
A small gull with a short, slender black bill, rounded head, and pale gray wings. Breeding adult has a thin black necklace or collar and pink wash to underparts.
© Shiloh Schulte / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 20, 2018Nonbreeding adult
Nonbreeding adult has a dark spot behind the ear, smudge around eyes, and pinkish wash to underparts. Wings are uniform pale gray with gray tips. Legs are red.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 12, 2017Breeding adult
A small, almost dovelike gull with a round head and short black bill. Breeding adult has a lovely pink wash to the underparts, a black necklace, light gray upperparts, and vibrant red legs.
© Josep del Hoyo / Macaulay LibrarySakha, June 22, 2019Not all videos have sound
First summer
First-summer bird has black necklace of adult and prominent black wing patch of juvenile.
© Ornitocampero Haritz Sarasa / Macaulay LibraryFinnmark, June 23, 2014Breeding adult
Breeding adult is one of the most beautiful and distinctive gulls, with its black necklace, pink underparts, and wedge-shaped tail.
© Lev Frid / Macaulay LibraryNunavut, May 29, 2018Breeding adult
Nests on small, dry rises in marshy tundra in the High Arctic.
© Josep del Hoyo / Macaulay LibrarySakha, June 22, 2019Not all videos have sound
Nonbreeding adult
In flight, note long, slender wings and tern-like flight.
© Tyler Ficker / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, October 11, 2020First winter
First-winter bird has bold blackish M on the upperwings, dark spot behind eye, and dark tip to the wedge-shaped tail.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryNew York, January 29, 2017Breeding adult
A small, graceful, long-winged gull with a distinctive wedge-shaped tail.
© Josep del Hoyo / Macaulay LibrarySakha, June 22, 2019Not all videos have sound
Breeding adult and first summer
A bird of the remote far north. Seen regularly at Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, but otherwise extremely rare anywhere in North America.
© Tom Johnson / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 23, 2018Similar SpeciesBonaparte's Gull
Nonbreeding adult
Nonbreeding Bonaparte's Gulls have flashy white triangles in the outer wing and a squared-off tail, unlike Ross's pale gray upperwing and wedge-shaped tail.
© Caleb Putnam / Macaulay LibraryMichigan, November 27, 2016Similar SpeciesBonaparte's Gull
Nonbreeding adult
On the ground, nonbreeding Bonaparte's Gulls have dark wingtips, unlike the pale wingtips of adult Ross's Gulls.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 03, 2016Similar SpeciesBonaparte's Gull
First winter
Bonaparte's Gulls are more slender than Ross's Gulls, with a longer bill.
© Brandon Holden / Macaulay LibraryOntario, November 08, 2005Similar SpeciesBonaparte's Gull
Juvenile
Juvenile Bonaparte's Gulls have a less bold M pattern on the wings and a squared-off tail compared to young Ross's Gulls.
© Brandon Holden / Macaulay LibraryOntario, August 06, 2007Similar SpeciesSabine's Gull
Nonbreeding adult
Sabine's Gulls have a bold upperwing pattern of black triangles in the forewing and a white triangle along the trailing edge—unlike either adult Ross's uniform gray back or the immature's thin black M pattern.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, September 16, 2015Similar SpeciesSabine's Gull
Juvenile
Sabine's Gull has a squared or slightly forked tail; Ross's Gull has a wedge shaped tail with longer central tail feathers.
© Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren / Macaulay LibraryMissouri, October 02, 2016Similar SpeciesSabine's Gull
Juvenile
Juvenile Sabine's Gulls have a heavier bill than Ross's Gulls, and with the wings folded they show less white toward the wingtips than juvenile Ross's.
© Matthew Pendleton / Macaulay LibraryUtah, September 30, 2016Similar SpeciesLittle Gull
Nonbreeding adult
Little Gulls are smaller than Ross's Gulls with a squared-off tail. Nonbreeding adult Little has a dark cap and ear spot that adult Ross's lacks; and it lacks the M pattern in the wings of immature Ross's.
© Brandon Holden / Macaulay LibraryOntario, November 08, 2005Similar SpeciesLittle Gull
First summer
First-summer Little Gulls are smaller than Ross's Gulls with a squared-off tail, unlike Ross's wedge-shaped tail.
© Yann Kolbeinsson / Macaulay LibraryNorðurland eystraRotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Laridae)
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