• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Black-headed Gull? (1 Viewer)

Geoff Pain

Rural Member
Would I be right in thinking that this is a leucistic Black-headed Gull?

Geoff :t:
 

Attachments

  • gull.jpg
    gull.jpg
    46.5 KB · Views: 645
Last edited:
That seems likely, Geoff, but the bare-part colour (bill & legs) has me a little confused - in leucistic birds they are often lighter than usual. When & where was the pic taken ?

Tony
 
I think you may be right! Interesting shot. Compared to several photos on other sites, this bird has a much lighter head color than the other Black-headed Gulls. And all the rest of this bird appears snow white--how neat! Pretty gull.
 
Yes - Leucistic Black-headed Gull. The only other possibility would be hybrid Black-headed X Med Gull, but the pure white back & wings as well as the overall structure of the bird eliminate that.

Darrell
 
I would go with BHG X Med Gull Hybrid. The Red Legs & bill gives it away. Leucistic BHG,s will have no head colouration all year.

CJ
 
Hi Colin,
"Leucistic BHG's will have no head colouration all year"
They do gain a hood,it's just paler than usual.The bird in the photo is a leucistic BHG,in my opinion.
Hybrid BHG x Med would at least be expected to show some structural features of Med(thicker bill,longer legs etc)
Harry
 
Got to go along with Harry on this one. There is nothing at all to suggest a BHGxMed Gull. Clearly a leucistic Black-headed.

Steve
 
steveinleics said:
Got to go along with Harry on this one. There is nothing at all to suggest a BHGxMed Gull. Clearly a leucistic Black-headed.

Steve
I think I have the same bird photo (taken in Slovak Republic).
George
 

Attachments

  • P1030293a_filtered1.jpg
    P1030293a_filtered1.jpg
    66.9 KB · Views: 242
Seems this bird shows up at leighton moss every year i had (probably the same bird) there this time last year.
 

Attachments

  • laucistic-black-headed-.jpg
    laucistic-black-headed-.jpg
    101.7 KB · Views: 187
  • laucistic-black-headed-2.jpg
    laucistic-black-headed-2.jpg
    105.5 KB · Views: 168
  • laucistic-black-headed-gull.jpg
    laucistic-black-headed-gull.jpg
    140.4 KB · Views: 210
Before I began reading the posts I was gonna ask if that was taken at Leighton Moss, i've seen that bird myself this spring, and it's definitely a leucistic Black Head.
 
I also think there is some Med Gull in there somewhere, the bill looks especially heavy and bright for a Black-headed.

Edit: I have taken a second look, and actually I am going to go for the leucistic pure Black-headed after all.

I'll bow to the superior knowledge :brains:
 
Last edited:
Warning! This thread is more than 18 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top