Description:

One of the largest gulls, angular head with gently sloping forehead. Bill large, 'dark-tipped', with bulging gonys. Adult breeding has black hood with bold white eye-crescents, and distinctive wing pattern. Adult non-breeding has largely white head with variable black mask.

Distribution:

Common passage migrant through the eastern Gilgit-Baltistan, uncommon in north-west. Usually make short stops around lakes, marshes, streams and rivers with nearby vegetation and grasslands. During passage from lowlands up to 4000m high.

Behavior:

Frequently piratical on a variety of species. Follows boats; takes fish offal near shores; one of most solitary gulls. Often flies long distances from colonies to feed aerially on swarming insects. Mainly feeds on fish (particularly dead fish) and crustaceans, as well as insects, small mammals, birds, eggs and reptiles.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Pallas's Gull in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Pallas's Gull

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.