Outdoor Ontario

Request for Information => Bird ID => Topic started by: Marek on February 02, 2007, 08:43:52 PM

Title: Gull ID
Post by: Marek on February 02, 2007, 08:43:52 PM

Is that Great Black-Backed Gull in different stages of its life?

http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Gulls/Gull4 (http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Gulls/Gull4)
http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Gulls/Gull3 (http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Gulls/Gull3)
http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Gulls/Gull2 (http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Gulls/Gull2)
http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Gulls/Gull (http://outdoorontario.net/Gallery/Gulls/Gull)

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Post by: Anonymous on February 02, 2007, 09:07:37 PM

One of them is a Greater Black Backed Gull and I think that the other is an immature Glaucus Gull...but I could be wrong!  :D

Attila

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Post by: Kin Lau on February 02, 2007, 11:02:21 PM

#4 is a Greater Black-backed Gull

My Sibley's states that even a 1st winter GBBG has a white head, so that rules out the 1st three.

#2 Looks like a Glaucous Gull due to the bi-colored bill.

#1 & 3 could be a Herring Gull.

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Post by: Marek on February 02, 2007, 11:23:49 PM

They were huge comparing to the rest of Gulls. Doesn't it rule out Herring Gull? I don't know any more. The Sibley's Guide to Birds that I've recently purchase doesn't help in my case.

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Post by: Kin Lau on February 02, 2007, 11:52:24 PM

A Herring gull is about 25 inchs, a Ring-billed about 17 inchs, so there is quite the size difference.

A GBBG is 30 in, almost the size of an Eagle and I've seen them flush other gulls, even some ducks.

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Post by: Tony Lang on February 19, 2007, 12:36:45 PM

My opinion:

#1 is a Great Black-backed in Definitive Basic plumage (adult winter)

#2 are, at left: a Ring-billed in Definitive Basic (adult winter)
           at right: a Herring in Second Basic (2nd winter)

#3 is a Glaucous in First Basic (1st winter)

#4 is a Herring in First Basic (1st winter)

Cheers,
Tony

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Post by: Carl-Adam on February 19, 2007, 06:23:33 PM

I agree with Tony on this one.