Appearance:

Build like a Magpie, but slightly more slender. Black hood, white throat, buff body and beautiful azure-blue wings and tail. Unmistakable if seen well. In unfavorable conditions the long tail in combination with the black hood and contrasting pale throat is diagnostic. Sexes alike. Flight similar to Magpie, but less staccato and more decisive. Behaves more like a Jay than a Magpie, and usually moves about in small groups.

Sound:

Most typical call is a high-pitched, finch-like, rapidly ascending "hvrriit" (similar to some Siberian Jay or Jay calls). Has a rich repertoire various social sounds of which some are more Magpie-like, like a dry and rolling "krrrrrrr".

Contact call, interaction calls:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

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

Appearance:

All white wingtips like Iceland Gull. The following characters applies to all ages: Told apart from Iceland Gull by angular head profile, proportionally shorter wings and long, heavy bill. Bill longer than half the length of head, and shows prominent hook. Primaries extends just about past tail in sitting birds, and the whole rear of the bird seem heavier. Eye smaller than in Iceland Gull, with a stern 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.

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

CC-sound:Jarmo Pirhonen, Licence,Link.