Common Name: Pallas’s Gull
Scientific Name: Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus
Family: Laridae
Nepali Name: Raja Gangacheel ( राजा गङ्गाचील )
Size: 69 cm
Location: Chitwan, Nepal

The Pallas’s Gull, also known as the Great Black-headed Gull, is one of the largest gull species recorded in Nepal. It is a striking waterbird recognized by its massive size, thick yellow bill with a red tip, pale grey upperparts, and white underparts. During the breeding season, adults develop a distinctive jet-black hood that contrasts sharply with their white neck and body, while non-breeding birds show a mottled dark head. Its broad wings display black outer feathers with prominent white patches visible in flight. Juveniles are brownish with patterned plumage that gradually changes as they mature.

In Nepal, Pallas’s Gull is mainly observed around large rivers, wetlands, reservoirs, and lakes, particularly during migration and winter. The species has been recorded from elevations ranging from 75–3,050 m above sea level. It feeds on fish, aquatic organisms, carrion, and occasionally insects, often scavenging along shorelines and water bodies.

Please feel free to comment below if the above species has been misidentified.

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