🌍 Cape Gull (Larus dominicanus vetula) The Cape Gull, the southern African subspecies of the Kelp Gull, is a large bird with a distinctive adult appearance featuring a white head and body, a black back and wings, a yellow bill with a red spot, and dark eyes. Its distribution is primarily along the coasts of southern Africa, from Namibia to the Eastern Cape. Behaviourally, they are gregarious, sedentary scavengers and omnivores, often found near human activity like landfills and fishing operations. Four other subspecies are recognised. Gemini 3 (Edited) Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1) Fun fact: They are renowned for their clever foraging technique: picking up hard-shelled molluscs like mussels or limpets, flying up several meters, and then dropping them onto rocks to crack them open—a form of "tool use" in the bird world. 📷: Photo by holmespj via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/seagull-kelp-gull-south-africa-3406282/ MOKZ

🌍 Cape Gull (Larus dominicanus vetula) #AfricanBirds | #CapeGull #AfricanKelpGull #KelpGull #LarusDominicanus | #KelpGulls #Gulls #GullFamily #Seabirds #Shorebirds 📷: Photo by holmespj🦉 #MyBirdcards | #birdsoftheworld #birds ❤️🦜

A single white seabird, a kelp gull, is captured mid-flight against a very pale, misty sky. Its wings are lifted high in a soft arc, feathers slightly blurred to show motion. The bird’s body and head are angled downward as if descending. Its bill is yellow with a hint of orange near the tip, and its legs hang loosely beneath it. The background is minimal and bright, with only faint, blurred shapes suggesting distant clouds or landscape. The overall feeling is quiet, soft, and airy. Credit ©Gregory Rothman The kelp gull (Larus dominicanus) is a large, robust gull found throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Adults typically have a white head and body with contrasting dark slate-black wings and back. They have a strong yellow bill often marked with a small red spot. Known for being adaptable and opportunistic, kelp gulls feed on fish, invertebrates, carrion, eggs, and even human refuse. They commonly nest on coastal cliffs, dunes, and offshore islands, forming loose colonies. Kelp gulls are widespread, occurring in South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and many sub-Antarctic islands. Their populations are generally stable and even expanding in some regions due to their ability to exploit human-modified environments.

A #KelpGull, ( #LarusDominicanus ) elegantly hovers above as it searches for a nibble.

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