About the Black-legged Kittiwake
The black-legged kittiwake is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae. This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae as Larus tridactylus. The English name is derived from its call, a shrill 'kittee-wa-aaake, kitte-wa-aaake'. In North America, this species is known as the black-legged kittiwake to differentiate it from the red-legged kittiwake, but in Europe, where it is the only member of the genus, it is often known just as kittiwake.
Source: Wikipedia
Taxonomy & Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Charadriiformes |
| Family | Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers (Laridae) |
| Species | Rissa tridactyla |
| Species Codes | bklkit, BLKI |
| Conservation | VU Vulnerable |
Frequently Asked Questions
What family does the Black-legged Kittiwake belong to?
The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) belongs to the Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers family (Laridae), in the order Charadriiformes.
What is the conservation status of the Black-legged Kittiwake?
The Black-legged Kittiwake is classified as "Vulnerable" (VU) by IUCN Red List.
How can I identify the Black-legged Kittiwake?
The black-legged kittiwake is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae. This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae as Larus tridactylus. The English name is derived from its call, a shrill 'kittee-wa-aaake, kitte-wa-aaake'. In North Ame...
Where can I report a Black-legged Kittiwake sighting?
You can log sightings of Black-legged Kittiwake on eBird (ebird.org) using species code bklkit, or on iNaturalist.