Scientific name: Larus minutus Pallas, 1776
Bird group: Gulls and Terns
Field characters. 27 cm. Smallest gull. Distinguishable by size, wings lacking black tips on primaries, complete, pitch-black 'hood' and dusky to black underwing (Black-headed Gull has white nape, black tips on primaries and lighter underwing). Neck, rump and underparts white with a pinkish wash; back and wing blue-grey, sides of chest greyish. In summer, bill dark red, legs bright red. In winter, head white with black crown and ear-patches; bill black, legs dark flesh. Juvenile with blackish brown crown, band across cheeks, nape, and back (latter turns grey in first winter plumage), terminal tail-bar and inverted "V" across mainly grey-white wings; rest of plumage white. Flight reminiscent of that of terns. Juvenile Kittiwake has grey mantle and thus resembles Little Gull in first winter plumage but Kittiwake larger, wingtip more pointed, and flies with stiffer wingbeat.
Voice. Less vocal than most gulls; common note is a low-pitched "keckkeckkeck"; also a shrill, rhythmic, repeated "kikay kikay...".
Distribution. Numbers within breeding range fluctuate considerably; locally a common to fairly rare passage migrant.
Habitat. Breeds predominantly in well-vegetated marshy regions, inland or along coasts; often found nesting together with other colonially breeding gulls or terns. Outside breeding season at sea, but on passage also on inland waters.
Food. During breeding season mainly insects, caught on ground or on the wing, and some plant material; rest of year mainly fish (often obtained by dipping to surface, as terns) and marine invertebrates.