The kittiwakes (genus rissa) are two closely related seabird species in the gull family laridae, the black-legged kittiwake (rissa tridactyla) and the red-legged kittiwake (rissa brevirostris). the epithets "black-legged" and "red-legged" are used to distinguish the two species in north america, but in europe, where rissa brevirostris is not found, the black-legged kittiwake is often known simply as kittiwake, or more colloquially in some areas as tickleass or tickleace. the name is derived from its call, a shrill 'kittee-wa-aaake, kitte-wa-aaake'. the genus name rissa is from the icelandic name rita for the black-legged kittiwake.

Source: Wikipedia