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The closest relatives of the southern black-back are to be found in the northern hemisphere, amongst the interbreeding assemblage of subspecies of the herring and lesser black-backed gulls. The limited available literature taken together with the results of this study shows that as far as general behaviour is concerned, no significant differences can be detected between the three species, but features of the alarm calls indicate that the southern black-back is related rather more closely to the lesser black-back than to the herring gull. General, pair-forming and hostile calls and postures have been outlined, and roosting and some aspects of general flock behaviour described. Most birds with which the gulls are in contact will concede food or space, notable exceptions being the Arctic skua and giant petrel.

Beach Patrols in New Zealand during 1961 covered a total distance of 857 miles and yielded 3138 birds (57 species), a record. Species are tabulated by month of occurrence and by the coastal zones in which they were found; unusual species include Eudyptes pachyrhynchus, Procellaria cinerea, P. westlandica, Pterodroma pycrofti, P. leucoptera, P. longirostris (first record), and Garrodia nereis. Major wrecks of Puffinus griseus in May and of Pachyptila vittata in July are described in detail and were probably associated with food shortage. The numbers of birds and the relative importance of different species varied from one part of the coast to another, probably in relation to wind direction and the distribution of birds at sea.