[Sarah Baz]

Hello,

I am new to the forum. I saw a black legged kittiwake today offshore Denmark with pink legs. It also has a lot of black on it's wing tips. How unusual is this?

[foresttwitcher]

There have been past threads about red or orange legged Kittiwakes but I can't track any down at present. Try using the 'Search Forums' function.

[njlarsen]

Sarah, welcome to birdforum!

Niels

[Fat Paul Scholes]

Are you sure it was a kittiwake? It looks a little chunky, especially on the second picture. With the black extending up the outer primaries like that, and a hint of dark patterning on the coverts, I'd be tempted to go for a 3 cy common gull with unusual restricted white in the primaries.

Welcome to birdforum Sarah Baz. I have a feeling we may have met before....

[Fat Paul Scholes]

Or perhaps even a subadult herring gull.

[Sarah Baz]

Thank you guys, what a good response already! I will check out the search forum function.

Hiya Mark! No, I actually didn't think it was a kittiwake, and even looking at the pics, it's face is not very kittiwake like either. I initially thought common at a distance but then noticed no white on wing tips. It certainly threw me!

I think you may be right with the 3 cy common gull. I will have a look for other threads that may be able to confirm.

Cheers guys!

[Sarah Baz]

Why do you think it is 3 cy and not adult?

[Fat Paul Scholes]

It would be even more unusual for an adult to have no white at the tips of the outer primaries, and the trace of dark on the coverts wouldn't be present on an adult either.

[Jhanlon]

Originally Posted by Fat Paul Scholes

It would be even more unusual for an adult to have no white at the tips of the outer primaries, and the trace of dark on the coverts wouldn't be present on an adult either.

The bill colour and wing structure suggest it's a subad herring gull rather than common. But yes, the lack of white on the primary tips seems very unusual.

Incidentally returning to the orginal post kittiwakes have been recorded in the UK with red legs, prompting confusion with red-legged kittiwake which has never been seen here. Haven't heard of pink legged ones though.

James

[OlaB]

Subad Herring looks good indeed.

Judging from that most of it's plumage looks adult-like I'd say it's a 4cy bird in active moult. Outer dark primaries are 3rd generation with reduced white. I see no black in the tail.

[nickderry]

I agree with subad herring gull.

[Jamie Dunning]

Herring Gull for me.

[Sarah Baz]

Thanks everyone. What a great response. I must admit, I am rather confused by it, as I initially thought it was a common gull, but then took it to be a kittiwake d/t the lack of white on the primary tips. We have not seen any herring gulls out here, so I would have thought I would have noticed the difference in flight and Jizz. However saying this, when I studied the pics, the bill told me herring gull. And now when I look closer, I am certainly leaning more towards Herring Gull. OlaB what do you mean exactly when you say "Outer dark primaries are 3rd generation" ?

[OlaB]

Hi Sarah!

The bird is moulting it's primaries for the third time (wing moult happens every summer). The outer primaries are still not moulted but are still 3rd generation (has only been moulted two times). These primaries generally show lesser white on the tips. When moulted the new 4th gen primaries will show more white and the bird will look more adult like.

[Sarah Baz]

Thanks, a good explanation. :O)

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

This is certainly a Herring, can even see the red bill spot in the first pic

I have seen an adult Kittiwake sat on the Sluice at Minsmere years ago with reddish legs, scared me at the time! Found out since that it does occur not that rarely and that Red-legged Kittiwakes luckily also have other differences