Black-legged Kittiwake

Description

Kittiwakes are a species of gull in the Chugach region, named after their unceasing cries of “kittee-wa-aaake”. They have a silver-gray back, white body, black-tipped wings, a bright yellow bill, and either red or black legs. Kittiwakes are unique among seabirds in that they have three toes instead of the usual four, likely as an adaptation for nesting and roosting on narrow cliff ledges. The Black-legged Kittiwake is smaller than the Red-legged Kittiwake (R. brevirostris) and often has a slightly lighter gray color, whereas the Red-legged Kittiwake has a shorter and more curved bill. Black-legged Kittiwakes are abundant and widely distributed in the Chugach Region, as they are throughout the North Pacific rim. Red-legged Kittiwakes only visit the Chugach Region, breeding exclusively the Pribilof, Bogoslof, and Buldir islands in Alaska and Commander Islands in Russia (ADF&G).

Habitat and Status

The Black-legged Kittiwake is a resident of the Chugach Region, occurring as an abundant migrant, an abundant breeder, and an uncommon winter visitor. They are the most numerous gulls within the region, abundant throughout most inshore and offshore waters from early April through October. This gull is highly pelagic during the non-breeding season and is common far out at sea in the Gulf of Alaska. Black-legged Kittiwakes nest on exposed rock ledges, whereas Red-legged Kittiwakes tend to nest on cliffs up to 900 feet high. The Black legged nests on the exposed ledges provide protection from below but leave the eggs and chicks exposed from above while the parents are away foraging for food. A cliff across from Whittier is known for its large rookery of Kittiwake nests. Both Kittiwake species have been known to feed together in “melees” or large groups, mainly on small fish, squid, and zooplankton near the surface (Alaska.org 2022).

Kittiwakes are present on shore during the summer, but as the breeding season closes, they return to the ocean for most of the year. Currently common during both winter and summer in the Chugach Region, modeling suggests substantial increases in its suitable climate space through 2080, despite only 8% of the current summer area in North America remaining stable.

Distribution of Black-Legged Kittiwakes in the Chugach Region.

Traditional Use

Elders say that when kittiwakes and other gulls settle on the water or “wrap up their bedding” by circling clockwise, it’s a sign of bad weather coming. But if they circle in the direction against the sun, they are said to be “getting their bedding out,” and therefore, the weather will be okay.

Makari Chimovitsky told a story of how a kittiwake help a man find himself as a shaman. During a sea otter (Arhnaq) hunt to Middleton Island, men found a rotten kittiwake in a smokehouse, described as full of maggots. Before it could be thrown away one of the men said, “I want to find out what I am,” explaining that he wanted to know what made him different. He blew into the bill of the kittiwake, and the bird came to life in his hands and flew away through the smoke hole (Birket-Smith 1953).