kittiwake

Either of two species of marine bird of the genus Rissa: the black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) from N areas of the N oceans; and the red-legged kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris) from the Bering Sea. They spend much time at sea, and nest on cliffs in large numbers. (Family: Laridae.)

The Kittiwakes (genus Rissa) are two closely related seabird species in the gull family Laridae. As occasional individual Black-legged Kittiwakes have reddish legs, any reports of Red-legged away from the subarctic Pacific must record all of the other differences, not just the leg colour, for acceptance by bird recording authorities.