This small gull of the high Arctic is the only species of gull that is entirely white. The legs are very short and black, and the wing tips extend well beyond the tail. Adult: Plumage is entirely white. The bill is blue-gray at the base, yellow to orange at the tip. The eye is dark, with a thin red eye ring in breeding season. The eye ring may be red or black in winter. First-cycle birds are white with extensive dusky markings on the face, a mostly dark bill, and variable amounts of dark spotting on the upperparts. The tail shows a thin dark terminal band.

Length: 43 (cm) Wingspan: 91 (cm)

Habitat:

Nests on rocky outcrops near pack ice. Usually associated with pack ice year round.

Behavior:

Often found feeding on seal carcasses.

Feeding:

Feeds on fish, aquatic invertebrates, carrion.