Kittiwake, common name for two species of gulls. Their name stems from the sound of their cry. Kittiwakes are characterized by extremely short or even missing hind toes. The birds are mainly pure white, except for their back and wings, which are greyish with black wingtips. They are about 35 cm (14 in) long. They are rarely seen near shore except during the breeding season, when they are found in large colonies on cliffs. Kittiwakes prefer to search for food in the open sea. The black-legged kittiwake is found in arctic and cold temperate regions on both sides of the northern Atlantic Ocean as far south as Spain in the winter. It has a greenish-yellow bill, and black legs, feet, and tail-tip. The red-legged kittiwake is found in the Bering Sea.

Scientific classification: Kittiwakes make up the genus Rissa of the family Laridae, order Charadriiformes. The black-legged kittiwake is classified as Rissa tridactyla and the red-legged kittiwake as Rissa brevirostris.