File:Three southern black-backed gulls walking on rocks - DPLA - 056ecc39fe91940bcb139aad5451110b.jpg

35 mm slide; color. Scientific Classification: Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Aves; Order: Charadriiformes; Family: Laridae; Genus: Larus; Genus species: Larus dominicanus. Animal characteristics: Head-Body Length: 55 cm; Identification: The plumage of the Southern black-backed gull is white. The upper wing and saddle are black with white tips. This gull has a yellow bill with a red spot at the tip; Habitat: Beaches, rocky areas, grasslands, ledges, glacial islets; Diet: Carnivore: shellfish, invertebrates, fish, carrion, eggs, chicks; Reproduction: Mating takes place in September or October in large, dispersed colonies. The time of breeding is usually staggered in these colonies so chicks do not hatch all at once. Each female lays up to three eggs, which are incubated for 23-30 days. The chicks fledge at 45-60 days of age; Social Structure: Thousands of kelp gulls will gather to roost. These birds usually live in the colonies into which they were born; Behavior: Because they have such a varied diet, gulls use a wide variety of feeding techniques. They can be very aggressive, stealing eggs and chicks from neighboring nests; Status: No special status; Interesting Facts: This is the only gull species found in the southern oceans.