Caspian gull? (1 Viewer)

[Orioluskundoo]

Does the gull in the middle seem right for a male Caspian? steep forehead, large bill, etc
and the the two surrounding ones being Steppe (barabensis)?
Location: Kund Malir beach, Balochistan, Pakistan
Date: 30 December 2023

 

[lou salomon]

No Caspian Gull here, they all seem to be Steppe Gulls although head striation gives the impression of Heuglin's Gull. Do you remember how dark the upperparts were?

 

[Orioluskundoo]

Ah, unfortunately no. I did not really look at these 3 properly until after I got home and check the footage. I will post more gulls on this thread to learn more.

These two lesser black-backeds were very different in colors in terms of back. One was dominantly dark (first photo) and the other (second photo) much paler like typical Steppe. Would you say just individual variation of the darker one in Heuglins?

 

[lou salomon]

First bird looks like a barabensis, too. It's just the light that is different on its upperparts. That said, a flight shot would help much more to assess primary pattern, in the case of adults also an underwing to check white p10 tongue.

 

[smiths]

More likely a Heuglin's, in that photo DSCN9107: dark slaty-grey upperparts, fairly extensive head/neck streaking and still growing P9/10.

 

[Orioluskundoo]

Hmm, unfortunately, I missed on flying shots of these two specifically. Even in the same light, the contrast was very vivid.