Canadian origin:
Non-breeding and immature Ross’s gulls are found in the Eurasian Arctic Ocean up to the North Pole. Breeding Ross’s gulls originate from their breeding colonies in Churchill, Manitoba; Prince Charles Island, Nunavut and several small islands within the Penny Straight, Nunavut.
Destination:
Ross’s gulls take a brief path to the Arctic Ocean after which some individuals head westward through the Bering Strait to overwinter in the Bering Sea. Other individuals travel south through Baffin Bay and the Davis Straight to overwinter in the Northwest Atlantic Mid-Ocean Chanel, offshore from Quebec and Labrador.
Habitat:
Ross’s gulls live mostly in the High Arctic. In the summer, they breed in the tundra.
Food sources:
They will eat any suitable small prey, such as small fish and crustaceans, and often feed on mudflats during the winter. During the breeding season, they mainly eat insects such as beetles and flies.
Fun fact:
Their eggs are olive green with small reddish brown spots.
BirdLife International and NatureServe (2014) Bird Species Distribution Maps of the World. 2014. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3..iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 28 November 2014. Distribution satellite data collected by M. Maftei.
Image © Mark Mallory