A giant amongst gulls with a wing span of over five feet, a devourer of carrion, and a killer of anything which is unfortunate enough to come within range of its powerful bill.
It nests on cliffs, rocky headlands and islands, the nest consisting of an untidy arrangement of seaweed, grasses and litter on which are laid two or three large eggs. The chicks are fed on food which has been partly digested by the parent, and then regurgitated. Nearly four years are required for the young to attain the full black and white plumage of maturity.
