Gulls in Seoul (1 Viewer)

[timsg80]

Hi everyone, I saw these very distance gulls in Seoul, South Korea on the river yesterday. Any help on identifying which species are in there would be awesome! Thanks

 

[Jon.Bryant]

Until this year I would have said Vega Gull, but since IOC 15.1 and the split of Mongolian Gull, it is no longer that simple an answer.

Interesting, the bird in photo starting 3716, on the right seems different - the head is more rounded and perhaps whiter, the eye more beady and the legs look more yellowish. I know that Mongolian Gull legs can be variable, but I am inclined to guess this is a Mongolian and the others Vegas.

You would probably need the open wing snd wing tip pattern in a closer photo to be sure of an ID - or someone with a lot more experience than me!

 

[timsg80]

Thanks so much Jon - I hadn’t appreciated how difficult separating these two was!