Gull identification on a bird from an North American ID Facebook page. (1 Viewer)

[DavidC]

Good morning

There seems to be a few questions on the ID of this bird with a black head. They are talking about a black headed gull and i cant see it.

The bird was photographed eastern Quebec.

Would appreciate input from bird experts.

Regards

Dave

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Why isn't it a Bonaparte's?

 

[DavidC]

Why isn't it a Bonaparte's?

Not sure..........But I am not familiar enough with bonaparte's to name it....Is that what it is in your opinion.

 

[DavidC]

My other concern with bonaparte's is that you cannot make out a white eye ring..

 

[lou salomon]

looks totally ok for a bonaparte's gull in full breeding plumage.

 

[Rotherbirder]

Eye-ring in Bonaparte's is very narrow and wouldn't necessarily show in an image of this quality.

RB

 

[jmepler]

Do we know the time of year that the picture was taken? I am assuming that this was not a recent picture.

 

[DavidC]

Not sure.

 

[jmepler]

I thought initially that the limited extent of the hood was better for Black-headed Gull. A little research shows that the hood is within the range for a Bonaparte's Gull. I see nothing else to suggest otherwise.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

I thought initially that the limited extent of the hood was better for Black-headed Gull. A little research shows that the hood is within the range for a Bonaparte's Gull. I see nothing else to suggest otherwise.

And there are things that look wrong for Black-headed, notably the colour of the bill, the legs, and the hood (though admittedly the colours may not be correctly represented on the image).

 

[pbjosh]

Without weighing in on the hood extent, agree that the eye ring probably wouldn't be visible in this photo, and even given the photo quality, there is nothing about the leg color or bill size/color that suggest BH Gull to my eye.

 

[Parker]

Looks like a straight forward Bonaparte’s to me as Larry says above the black bill & smaller fits this species.