whitish plumage, black wing-tips; all-yellow bill (California, USA; 2012-01-04)
|
Black-legged Kittiwake
Rissa tridactyla
Native Range: North America and Eurasia
Notes:
kittiwakes get their name from their call or voice, which sounds like kitti-weeeik; nests precariously on the ledges on sheer cliffs above northern rocky shorelines; feeds mostly far out at sea.
|
second-year bird, as told by black wing dots (California, USA; 2012-01-04)
|
adult's bill is plain yellow, slightly decurved (California, USA; 2012-01-04)
|
head-on view in flight (California, USA; 2012-01-04)
|
black collar across grey nape; grey above eye (California, USA; 2012-01-04)
|
adult has all-white tail and pale primaries (California, USA; 2012-01-04)
|
the back of the head looks "smudgy" (California, USA; 2012-01-04)
|
hunts at sea, but sometimes comes nearshore (California, USA; 2012-01-04) |
flight agile on wings that are held rather stiff (California, USA; 2012-01-04) |
ventral flight view of this handsome species (California, USA; 2012-01-04) |
dorsal flight view; still handsome (California, USA; 2012-01-04) |
legs are short and dark or almost black (California, USA; 2012-01-04) |
eating a fisherman's piece of squid (California, USA; 2012-01-04) |
posing for a portrait (California, USA; 2012-01-04) |
dorsal view in flight (California, USA; 2012-01-07) |
full-body portrait, facing left (California, USA; 2012-01-07) |
full-body portrait, facing right (California, USA; 2012-01-07) |
head portrait, facing right (California, USA; 2012-01-07) |
head portrait, facing left (California, USA; 2012-01-07) |