It is a very beautiful gull with slender lines, considered among the rarest nesting species in France, there are only 30 to 90 couples, exclusively in Corsica.
The global population is less than 10,000 pairs, making it one of the rarest gull species.
The species name, audouinii , is a tribute to Jean Victor Audouin (1797-1841) who, after studying medicine, natural history and pharmacy, became an assistant and then professor of entomology at the Natural History Museum in 1833. It is probably a dedication to him as founder of the Natural History Society of Paris, as his work mainly focused on insects, annelids, crustaceans and arachnids.
Adult plumage is acquired after 4 years. Juveniles have a grayish upperparts, with brownish streaks, the underparts are gray-brown.
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