Great Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed GullGreat Black-backed GullGreat Black-backed GullGreat Black-backed Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Larus marinus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Point Pelee National Park
2,804 Verified records at Point Pelee National Park
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The great black-backed gull (Larus marinus) is the largest member of the gull and tern family Laridae. It is a very aggressive hunter, pirate and scavenger which breeds on the North Atlantic coasts and islands of northern Europe and northeastern North America. Southern populations are generally sedentary, while those breeding in the far north (northern Norway, northwest Russia) migrate farther south in winter. A few also move inland to large lakes and reservoirs. The adult has a white head, neck and underparts, dark blackish-grey wings and back, pink legs and the bill yellow with a red spot. Wikipedia →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Great Black-backed Gull sighting in Point Pelee National Park, based on 2,804 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Point Pelee National Park

Ring-billed Gull
LC

Ring-billed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus delawarensis

60–70% · Likely
American Herring Gull
LC

American Herring Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus smithsonianus

50–60% · Likely
Lesser Black-backed Gull
LC

Lesser Black-backed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus fuscus

5–10% · With luck
Iceland Gull
LC

Iceland Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus glaucoides

<5% · Rare
Glaucous Gull
LC

Glaucous Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus hyperboreus

<5% · Rare
California Gull
LC

California Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Larus californicus

Insufficient data
Bonaparte's Gull

Bonaparte's Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus philadelphia

50–60% · Likely
Common Tern
LC

Common Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna hirundo

20–30% · Possible
Black Tern
LC

Black Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chlidonias niger

10–20% · With luck
Caspian Tern
LC

Caspian Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hydroprogne caspia

5–10% · With luck
Forster's Tern
LC

Forster's Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna forsteri

5–10% · With luck
Black-headed Gull

Black-headed Gull

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
20–30
Feb
20–30
Mar
10–20
Apr
10–20
May
10–20
Jun
10–20
Jul
30–40
Aug
40–50
Sep
40–50
Oct
40–50
Nov
50–60
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 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
50–60%
2 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
40–50%
3 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
40–50%
4 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
40–50%
5 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
20–30%
6 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
20–30%
7 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
8 Thingvellir National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
10–20%
9 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
10 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
11 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
12 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Great Black-backed Gull in Point Pelee National Park?

About 21% of wildlife watchers report a Great Black-backed Gull sighting in Point Pelee National Park, based on 2,804 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Great Black-backed Gull in Point Pelee National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Great Black-backed Gull in Point Pelee National Park in our monthly data.

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