Birds Pakistan (1 Viewer)

First is this species captured in Gilgit Baltistan - is it really a Common Buzzard species? Taken last week.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gilgit2/37338851630/in/dateposted/


If so which subspecies?



The first Gull makes me think Pallas Gull - bi-coloured bill, the angled forehead...but probably wrong?


The second Gull I assume would be a Caspian/Steppe but the slightness and not particularly big bill appears very Common Gull-ish. Taken in March 2017.

I assume the first 3 are of the same bird and are Heuglin's Gulls. The photograph was taken late October last year at Hannah Lake near Quetta. This is considerably inland. Heuglin has not been photographed inland in Pakistan by any of the few who are out there Taking photos. Steppe and Pallas are frequently seen and photographed inland near large water bodies.

Next 2 probably same bird and Pallas Gull?

Heuglin's ? - taken in March.

I think the raptor could be a oriental honey buzzard

OHB has very different tail bands - male has 2 tail bands, female has 3. Unless this is an immature?

Himalaya said:

OHB has very different tail bands - male has 2 tail bands, female has 3. Unless this is an immature?

Click to expand...

Juvenile dark morph Oriental Honey Buzzard. Note six fingers.

I''ll let Lou deal with the gulls.

Grahame

Thanks jobbuq and Grahame.

I am adding another angle of the second Gull in first post - Steppe? if so what age...from March 2017

some more

Some more. I believe these are Heuglins - the first was taken in December .....the streaking on head is quite heavy...

second taken in October........does not have pale under wings....

hello,

i had this thread in memory not being answered adequately. firstly, large gulls from that region (middle east, india) still cause a big ID problem due to a bunch of factors: remote and very extensive breeding regions, thus lack of colour-ringed individuals to study, huge variation in immature plumages and in sequence of moult etc plus strong bleaching under the tropical sun. but 'happily' we are left with mostly two (sub-) species: heuglin's and steppe gull, with the less likely odd eastern cachinnans and the very unlikely mongolicus. so, most IDs are just tentative and discussable in this mine field:
1. and 2. both 1st cycles and not pallas's but either heuglini or barabensis, i don't think we can get closer with these angles and the worn plumages. bicolored bill can be exibited by both taxons in march, maybe a bit more likely in steppe gull but that bill in pic 1 is very strong - male type, more like in heuglini.
3.-5. most probably a 3cy steppe gull - primary moult quite advanced in october with p8 being fully grown
6.-7. also steppe gull. i'm just a bit surprised about that amount of head streaking in both birds, this latter one seemingly even being an adult
8. looks good for 2cy steppe gull but upper wing might have been helpful to exclude heuglini
9. active primary moult in march suggests heuglin's gull
10. yes, heuglini, a 2cy
11. a 1cy, not possible to ID from this angle, bulky structure might point towards heuglini but could well be a male steppe gull.

Thanks.....Lou...
these birds are very hard work.......I wonder where these gulls come from that winter on that coastline

either from siberian tundra or from southern siberia (steppe zone)