Vega Gull (Larus vegae) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The Vega Gull is a large, mainly East Asian gull and a rare visitor across most of the United States. Adults have pink legs, a sturdy yellow bill, and gray wings with black tips. Its name comes from the Swedish ship Vega, which visited northeastern Siberia.

Appearance

Appearance: Adults are 22–26 in (55–67 cm) long, with a gray back, white head and body, pink legs, and a yellow bill with a red spot. In winter, brown streaks may cover the head and neck.

Look-alikes

American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus

Adult Vega Gulls usually have a slightly darker gray back. The overlap is broad, so a single photo may not settle the identification.

Why they get mixed upBoth are large, pink-legged, gray-and-white gulls.

Slaty-backed GullLarus schistisagus

An adult Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus) has a much darker back and a broad white crescent just ahead of the black-and-white wingtips when perched.

Why they get mixed upBoth occur in Alaska and have pink legs.

Large gulls to compare in Alaska

	Back	Other clues
Vega Gull	Medium gray	Pink legs; heavy bill
American Herring Gull	Usually paler gray	Pink legs; similar build
Slaty-backed Gull	Dark gray	Broad white crescent near folded wingtip

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Coastal islands
Shorelines
Harbors
Range: In the United States, it breeds on St. Lawrence Island in Alaska and appears occasionally elsewhere, including rare records in the Lower 48 states.
Seasonal presence: Regular mainly in western Alaska; a rare visitor farther south.

Behavior

Diet: It eats fish, shellfish, insects, dead animals, and discarded food.
Activity: It feeds along shorelines.

Life cycle

Nest: It nests near open water, often on islands or shorelines.
Clutch size: 2–4 eggs

Name and classification

About the name: Mongolian Gull (Larus mongolicus) was once placed within Vega Gull; it is now treated as a separate species.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

11 sources