Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides)Where and when to see it in the UK
Winter visitor · reporting peaks February · Skimmers, Noddies, Terns, and Gulls · BOU category A
Peak months
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (grid squares, place names from OS Open Names). Northern Ireland place names: OSNI Open Data, OGL v3.0. County and country boundaries: Office for National Statistics, Open Government Licence v3.0. Coastline: Natural Earth. Bird records from the data partners listed here.
Iceland Gull has been recorded in 571 of the 2,971 10 km squares covering UK land (19%) in records to 2026. Winter visitor in the UK. Its strongest squares are in England, Scotland and Wales. Reporting peaks in February.
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, LC)
View on the IUCN Red List- Very high
- 100% or more of visits
- High
- 4% to 100%
- Moderate
- <1% to 4%
- Low
- under <1%
- Surveyed, not recorded
- at least 20 qualifying visits, no record
- Insufficient records
- too few visits to say
- Lighter fill
- Few visits, lower confidence
- Small dot
- Occasional: a single record, or out of season
Relative to this species' best squares (how classes are calculated)
Seasonality
| Month | Relative to peak | Share of visits | Typical class |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 79% | <1% | Low |
| February | 100% | <1% | Very high |
| March | 66% | <1% | Very high |
| April | 36% | <1% | Very high |
| May | 17% | <1% | Very high |
| June | 4% | <1% | Very high |
| July | 2% | <1% | Very high |
| August | 1% | <1% | Very high |
| September | 3% | <1% | Low |
| October | 4% | <1% | Low |
| November | 21% | <1% | Moderate |
| December | 45% | <1% | Very high |
Squares with the highest reporting rate in February
| Square | Where | Share of visits | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| C42 | Derry City and Strabane, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| H24 | Fermanagh and Omagh, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| HU43 | Shetland Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HU48 | Shetland Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HU59 | Shetland Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| NB56 | Na h-Eileanan Siar, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| NH19 | Highland, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| NH81 | Highland, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| NH91 | Highland, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| NM54 | Argyll and Bute, Scotland | 100% | Very high |