Text extracted from Gill B.J.; Bell, B.D.; Chambers, G.K.; Medway, D.G.; Palma, R.L.; Scofield, R.P.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Worthy, T.H. 2010. Checklist of the birds of New Zealand, Norfolk and Macquarie Islands, and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica. 4th edition. Wellington, Te Papa Press and Ornithological Society of New Zealand. Pages 191, 223 & 227-228.

Order CHARADRIIFORMES: Waders, Gulls and Terns The family sequence of Christidis & Boles (1994), who adopted that of Sibley et al. (1988) and Sibley & Monroe (1990), is followed here.

Suborder LARI: Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Skimmers Condon (1975) and Checklist Committee (1990) recognised three subfamilies within the Laridae (Larinae, Sterninae and Megalopterinae) but this division has not been widely adopted. We follow Gochfeld & Burger (1996) in recognising gulls in one family (Laridae) and terns and noddies in another (Sternidae). The sequence of species for Stercorariidae and Laridae follows Peters (1934) and for Sternidae follows Bridge et al. (2005).

Family LARIDAE Rafinesque: Gulls Laridia Rafinesque, 1815: Analyse de la Nature: 72 – Type genus Larus Linnaeus, 1758.

Genus Larus Linnaeus Larus Linnaeus, 1758: Syst. Nat., 10th edition 1: 136 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Larus marinus Linnaeus. Gavia Boie, 1822: Isis von Oken, Heft 10: col. 563 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Larus ridibundus Linnaeus. Junior homonym of Gavia Moehring, 1758. Hydrocoleus Kaup, 1829: Skizz. Entw.-Gesch. Eur. Thierw.: 113 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Larus minutus Linnaeus. Chroicocephalus Eyton, 1836: Cat. Brit. Birds: 53 – Type species (by monotypy) Larus cucullatus Reichenbach = Larus pipixcan Wagler. Gelastes Bonaparte, 1853: Journ. für Ornith. 1: 47 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Larus gelastes Lichtenstein = Larus genei Brème. Dominicanus Bruch, 1853: Journ. für Ornith. 1: 100 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Larus marinus Linnaeus. Clupeilarus Bonaparte, 1856: Compt. Rend. Séa. Acad. Sci., Paris 42: 770 – Type species (by subsequent designation) Larus fuscus Linnaeus. Bruchigavia Bonaparte, 1857: Consp. Gen. Avium 2: 228 – Type species (by monotypy) Larus novaehollandiae Stephens. Astogavia Mathews, 1944: Emu 43: 244 – Type species (by original designation) Bruchigavia melanorhyncha Buller = Larus bulleri Hutton.

Crochet et al. (2000) proposed recognising several more gull genera than have recently been used world-wide but we have retained New Zealand species in Larus following Chu’s (1998) recommendation to retain taxonomic stability. Boie (1844: 196) listed “Larus melanoleucos” as from New Zealand but, as it does not include a description of the bird, it is a nomen nudum (Mathews & Iredale 1913: 248).

Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein Kelp Gull Five subspecies are recognised (Jiguet 2002): L. d. dominicanus Lichtenstein (South America, Australia, New Zealand and its subantarctic islands), L. d. vetula (Bruch, 1853) (southern Africa), L. d. austrinus Fleming, 1924 (Antarctica), L. d. judithae Jiguet, 2002 (south Indian Ocean) and L. d. melisandae Jiguet, 2002 (Madagascar). Straggles to the Ross Sea (Spurr et al. 1990) but race of these birds not determined.

Larus dominicanus dominicanus Lichtenstein Southern Black-backed Gull Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein, 1823: Verzeich. Doubl., Berlin: 82 – Coasts of Brazil. Larus fuscus; G.R. Gray 1843, in E. Dieffenbach, Travels in N.Z. 2: 200. Not Larus fuscus Linnaeus, 1758. Larus antipodus ? G.R. Gray, 1844: List Birds Brit. Mus. 3: 169 – New Zealand. Dominicanus antipodus (G.R. Gray); Bruch 1853, Journ. für Ornith. 1: 100. Dominicanus Antipodum Cabanis [sic]; Bruch 1855, Journ. für Ornith. 3: 281. Clupeilarus antipodum (G.R. Gray); Bonaparte 1856, Compt. Rend. Séa. Acad. Sci., Paris 42: 770. Lestris antarcticus Ellman, 1861: Zoologist 19: 7472 – New Zealand. Junior primary homonym of Lestris antarcticus Lesson, 1831. Lestris fuscus Latham [sic]; Ellman 1861, Zoologist 19: 7472. Not Larus fuscus Linnaeus, 1758. Larus antipodum G.R. Gray; G.R. Gray 1862, Ibis 4: 248. Larus pacificus; Layard 1863, Ibis 5: 245. Not Larus pacificus Latham, 1802. Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein; Finsch 1870, Journ. für Ornith. 18(5): 360. Larus ?antipodum G.R. Gray; G.R. Gray 1871, Hand-list Birds 3: 112. Larus dominicanus antipodus (Bruch) [sic]; Mathews & Iredale 1913, Ibis 1 (10th ser.): 248. Larus dominicanus absolutus Mathews, 1944: Emu 43: 246 – subantarctic islands of New Zealand. Larus dominicanus dominicanus Lichtenstein; Checklist Committee 1980, Notornis (Suppl.) 27: 18.

South America, Australia and New Zealand. In the New Zealand region, breeds throughout coastal districts and on most offshore islands, including Chatham, Bounty, Antipodes, Snares / Tini Heke, Auckland, Campbell / Motu Ihupuku and Macquarie Islands; also inland on riverbeds and high into the mountains (Kinsky 1963, Higgins & Davies 1996, Miskelly et. al. 2001a, Tennyson et al. 2002). Straggles north to Norfolk Island (Hermes et al. 1986), the Kermadec Islands (Veitch et al. 2004), Lord Howe Island (Higgins & Davies 1996) and Niue (Worthy et al. 1998, Powlesland et al. 2000). Fossil and midden remains from North, South, Stewart / Rakiura and Chatham Islands (Checklist Committee 1990, Millener 1991); rare records from Late Pleistocene sites (e.g. Worthy 2000, Worthy & Grant- Mackie 2003).