Gull id: Slaty-backed gull? taken @ Maipo, Hong Kong (1 Viewer)

P

photokai

Member

• Apr 17, 2012

• #1

Dear Friend,

I have some difficulties to id this gull taken at Maipo, Hong Kong. Is it a Slaty-backed gull, first winter? Thanks a lot!


Slayt-backed Gull? by photokai, on Flickr


ISlayt-backed Gull? by photokai, on Flickr


Slayt-backed Gull? by photokai, on Flickr

 

lou salomon

the birdonist

• Apr 17, 2012

• #2

hello,

the pale head, underwing and body, "venetian blind" in primaries and advanced covert moult suggests rather a mongolian gull than a slaty-backed in my eyes. but i have no field experience with these birds and it's a difficult matter, so i'd like to see what people say that have seen lots of these species.

 

rockfowl

Mark Andrews

• Apr 17, 2012

• #3

Mongolian was also my first thought but I have no experience of SBG.

 

P

photokai

Member

• Apr 18, 2012

• #4

Thanks. I'm really not sure since Mongolian gull is seldom found in Hong Kong.

 

T

Terry Townshend

Regular vagrant

• Apr 18, 2012

• #5

Looks like a Mongolian to me. Slaty-backed should be darker overall, not so white-headed and with a darker/more marked uppertail.

 

S

smiths

Well-known member

• Apr 19, 2012

• #6

Any more shots of this bird please?
Especially side-on views could help, I think.

 

J

johnallcock

Well-known member

• Apr 20, 2012

• #7

In fact, Mongolian is not too unusual in Hong Kong. It is the second commonest of the large gulls (after Heuglin's), but is often referred to as Yellow-legged or Caspian. Slaty-backed is sometimes seen at Mai Po, but usually no more than one or two individuals.

I'm really not great with first-winter gulls, but Mongolian does look like a good call for this individual.

 

JANJ

Well-known member

• Apr 20, 2012

• #8

Would be nice to see some more pic of this gull. I would consider Mongolian over Slaty-backed! 1st cycle slaty-backed usually has more dark on tail. The inner primaries on Mongolian often has rather pale outer webs, which combined with the pale inner web makes the dark tips stand out. The inner primary pattern on the subject gull would be acceptable for mongolian I guess.

http://www23.tok2.com/home/jgull/120312/Slaty1w..html

http://www23.tok2.com/home/jgull/050315/slaty.htm

http://www23.tok2.com/home/jgull/mongolicus091229/index.html

http://www23.tok2.com/home/jgull/110318/vegae1w.html


JanJ