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The Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus) is a bird found in New Zealand, Chile, South Africa, Argentina, Australia and Brazil. Coasts and beaches across the Southern Hemisphere. It eats insects and other small invertebrates, small mammals and birds and reptiles and frogs. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

🏡 Where the Kelp gull lives

Coasts and beaches across the Southern Hemisphere.

🍽️ What it eats

• 🐛 Insects & bugs20%
• 🐭 Mammals & birds20%
• 🦎 Reptiles & frogs20%
• 🐟 Fish20%
• 🦴 Leftovers (carrion)20%

A rough guide to its diet over a year. Source: EltonTraits (Wilman et al. 2014).

Conservation status

Hear the Kelp gull

Recorded by Cristian Pinto Fernandez (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), xeno-canto XC925401. Trimmed to a few seconds.

Questions about the Kelp gull

Where does the Kelp gull live?

The Kelp gull lives in New Zealand, Chile, South Africa, Argentina, Australia and Brazil. Coasts and beaches across the Southern Hemisphere.

What does the Kelp gull eat?

insects and other small invertebrates (about 20%), small mammals and birds (about 20%), reptiles and frogs (about 20%), fish (about 20%), dead animals (carrion) (about 20%). These are rough shares of its diet over a year, from the EltonTraits database.

Is the Kelp gull endangered?

There are plenty of these birds. Its IUCN Red List category is Least Concern.

More birds from Australia & Oceania

• Australasian darter
• Common bronzewing
• Tree martin
• Blue-faced honeyeater
• Greater crested tern
• Hardhead

Sources: IUCN Red List (via Wikidata), EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014), GBIF sightings for countries, Wikipedia. Last updated 2026-10-19.