-
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.
gull, Oakland, CA, 3 December (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter oleic
- Start date
tom baxter
Well-known member
California Gull
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
My guess is 'Olympic' Gull (hybrid Glaucous-winged x Western) - primaries too dark for G-w, but not black enough for Western.
tom baxter
Well-known member
Out of curiosity, how are you all eliminating California Gull? Small round head, small bill yellow bill with red gony, structurally it’s very different than Western or G-w. The primaries are dusky but how could it be an Olympic following that bill? Both Western and G-w have honkers compared to California Gull which this looks normal for to me aside from maybe the primaries. I considered Olympic but I don’t think it can be for above mentioned reasons. I am no expert on gulls but what am I missing? I am still studying them, but I don’t think Western is even a contender due to head shape
Last edited:
Microtus
Maryland USA (he/him)
Tom updated his post the same minute I replied at 20:37 (my time). I think the bird's head is turned slightly to its right and also slightly downward, which could make the bill look shorter and smaller. The photo seems to have been shot from below the bird which could also influence head shape.
tom baxter
Well-known member
Perfect. Thank you. I was seeing gray legs and a faintly streaked head but that could easily be confirmation bias. The primary projection I didn’t know about or didn’t think about. So then it must be Olympic Gull. I can’t see Western for many reasons I mentioned above. If it is I quit lol.
lou salomon
the birdonist
it's an adult olympic gull on the glaucous-winged side of variation - wingtips not all too much darker than mantle but probably still outside variation of pure glaucous-winged gull (which can have wingtips slightly darker than mantle).
