Appearance:

Large and athletic falcon. Adults slate-grey above. Underparts white with black barring. Head almost black. Juveniles with brown tone to plumage, coarse longitudinal streaking below and paler head. Differs from the smaller falcons by less pointed wings, heavier hips and short tail. Highly contrasting and broad moustache-stripe. Smaller than Gyrfalcon with a more compact silhouette. The wings are not as broad, and belly not as deep. Underside of wings evenly barred, without contrasting coverts. Flight-pattern can recall Fulmar, with shallow, stiff wing-action.

Sound:

A harsh, drawn out "kiaaaa" with emphasised endings repeated in series. Much slower than Merlin, but higher pitched than Gyrfalcon. Also shorter, coarse warning-calls.

Alarm call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Sounds:Recorded by Jarek Matusiak,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license

Appearance:

All white wingtips like Glaucous Gull. Told apart from latter by rounded head, longer wings and shorter, more slender bill. Bill shorter than half the length of head, and lacks prominent hook. Primaries extends well past tail in sitting birds, and the whole rear of the bird seem slimmer. Eye bigger than in Glaucous Gull, with a more "gentle" expression. Comparison with nearby Herring Gulls fruitful. Iceland Gull often smaller than Herring Gull, and less heavy, while Glaucous Gull usually larger. Impression reinforced by Iceland's agile maneuvering.

Sound:

Like Herring Gull, but tone sharper.

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC