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Gallery
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Records through the year
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Distribution
Ivory Gull  Pagophila eburnea
Occurs sporadically, usually few, mainly in the neighbourhood of drift ice or by glacier edges in the sea. Most often seen foraging along the ice edge and in drift ice, and is therefore most common on the north-east side of the island group in the summer. A few also appear in summer by sewage outlets and in the dog kennels by the habitations. At least 800 pairs breed.   

Features: 41-47 cm, 500-700 gram. ♂=♀. Young birds are white with small dark spots on the wings, a black terminal band on the tail and a dark patch around the base of the bill. One year old birds still have some dark spots. Calls most often in spring and at the nest site. Strident «kriii kriii» notes remind one of terns and Black-headed Gulls. 

​Breeding: Normally breeds in small colonies, inaccessible to bears and foxes, high up in steep cliffs almost without other species of seabirds. Can also nest on flat ground, but this is very rare on Svalbard. Lays one to three eggs in a nest built of seaweed, moss, grass and feathers.