Larus minutus

The little gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus or Larus minutus), is a small gull that breeds in northern Europe and Asia. The genus name Hydrocoloeus is from Ancient Greek hydro, 'water', and koloios, a sort of web-footed bird. The specific minutuscode: lat promoted to code: la is Latin for 'small'. It also has small colonies in parts of southern Canada. It is migratory, wintering on coasts in western Europe, the Mediterranean and (in small numbers) the northeast United States; in recent years non-breeding birds have summered in western Europe in increasing numbers and in 2016 they successfully nested for the first time in Great Britain at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds reserve at Loch of Strathbeg reserve in Aberdeenshire. As is the case with many gulls, it has traditionally been placed in the genus Larus. It is the only member of the genus Hydrocoloeus, although it has been suggested that Ross's gull also should be included in this genus.