Common Gull ssp heinei? Germany (1 Viewer)

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,

another bird, same question: is this a 1cycle Common Gull, that can be identified as ssp heinei with confidence in an w-european context?

https://flic.kr/p/2mUDE4Q

https://flic.kr/p/2mUDDFv

https://flic.kr/p/2mUCkF8

https://flic.kr/p/2mUFw2z

https://flic.kr/p/2mUBGR4

(19.12.2021, Salzgitter See, Germany)

Yes, I see

• a few sharp streaks to the crown
• broad white tertial fringes (a feature, after reading the new ID-guide?)
• should the secondaries described as pale, medium or dark?

Thank you!

 

[Prestdj]

i think this is a common gull but i have no experiance of 'heinei'

having too looked at the new gull book page 109 shows heinei to have more of a well marked underwing and less pale primary window

but im just starting on my gull learning so just my opinion others may differ but nice to have good photos to look at and share thoughts

good birding

 

[smiths]

Page 107 shows the acceptable 1st-cycle heinei types in a European context.
Both the text on p. 107 as the captions on p. 108 mention that the white tertial fringes tend to be narrower in heinei, not broad.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Darrell and smith,
thank you for commenting.

Sorry, i just realized, that my post wasnt clear. The features I mentioned where the ones that arent perfect for a heinei.

• streaks to the crown: as gullresearch mentions for heinei a ".... clean white head, with dark limited as small mask around the eye. But head streaking can occur (hence only soft ID criterium).", I thought, maybe some few streaks are ok for an acceptable heinei in Europe. But all 1 cycle birds in the book shows pure white heads and this is mentioned in the captions, too.
• yes, I see differences in the underwing compared to the pictures, too.

Taken the comments here (thanks to all who have commented so far!), the DB paper, the new book and information on the net (for example 1st winter Russian (heinei) Common Gulls, Istanbul) together, this bird is better left unidentified to ssp-level?

Edit: replaced . by ?