Great Gulls on sandspit north Baku on 1th of november (1 Viewer)

[bubo_bubo]

The image of Great Gulls – mainly Caspian Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull was made at the beach of Gilazi 60 km north of Baku/ Azerbaidschan. First I was thinking at the bird in the middle of a normal Caspian Gull. But the smaller size irritate me a bit. Maybe “Steppe Gull” barabensis?

Thanks for ID to the experts.

Cheers

Johannes

 

[Andy Adcock]

The only two obviously smaller Gulls look like Black-headed to my uneducated eye.

 

[lou salomon]

without seeing wingtips it is not safe to ID these, but all (large gulls) look to be some Caspian types. Size is not usefull as it is quite variable in large gull taxa with females being smaller than males.

 

[bubo_bubo]

Yes, I was also looking to wintips. But nothing I can find in the few images of flying birds. Thanks a lot!!

 

[lou salomon]

barabensis shows significantly shorter white tongues to outer primaries (ventrally) with p10 tongue usually ending rectangular like in cachinnans but its length is shorter (usually less than 50% of visible feather in adults), p10 usually has a solid p10 black subterminal mark (also in many cachinnans, though), mirrors are generally smaller, black generally more extended than in cachinnans, regularly reaching to p4 (often on both webs) and some even show a p3 mark. mantle is slightly darker.