The Relict Gull breeds in Central and East Asia and moves to the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea region for winter. Wintering first-year birds have been recorded on the mudflats of Deep Bay, Hong Kong.
Adults in breeding plumage show a dark brown hood, with reddish bill and legs.
At Deep Bay in Hong Kong, wintering first-year birds have been recorded on intertidal mudflats, walking to forage in a plover-like manner.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.