Large white headed gull (LWHG) , Salalah, Oman (1 Viewer)

BirdingRob · Sep 16, 2014

No other gulls but sooty gulls since I arrived in late August until today. Suddenly a stream of LWHGs heading down the coast in wave after wave towards Yemen.

Unfortunately only one stopped briefly. It is the gull in the first 2 photos. Its mantle shade can be compared against the greater crested terns.

The next 3 photos are all of one different gull.

All help on gull as ever gratefully received

Rob

WACCOE · Sep 16, 2014

Lesser Black-backed Gull

lou salomon · Sep 16, 2014

both look to be heuglin's gulls, the default dark grey mantled gull in the region. western graellsii or intermedius have been recorded in the eastern mediterranean but not yet proven on the arabian peninsula.

Iraq Babbler · Sep 16, 2014

Both answers are fine with your two gull photos.

As both are more likely a heuglini which is regarded as a subspecies of LBBG in Oman Birdlist; rather than Steppe L.c. barabensis which is also common during September in Oman, however, your bird is darker with typical Heuglin's Jizz.

Omar

BirdingRob · Sep 17, 2014

Dear all,

Thanks for your views. I am comfortable with lesser black backed gull (Heuglin's) as it is recorded in e-bird.

Rob

Large white headed gull (LWHG) , Salalah, Oman (1 Viewer)

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