Gull ????

[Wheeler McDougal Jr.]

I am very poor on gulls and need some help on this one. I took it on the east coast of Florida last winter and really don't know what it is. I don't think it's anything that outstnading but would really like to know what it is. Can anyone help me out?

[John Chardine]

Wheeler- Gulls are difficult, especially young ones like this. I think you have a young Ring-billed Gull based on the general look of the bird and the colour of the bill- pink with a black tip. Your bird is probably a first winter bird although it is easier to tell if we could see the top surface of the wings. Second winter and adults birds would have a light grey upper wing rather than one mottled with brown/buff. Here is a closeup of a young Ring-bill for comparison. This one is intermediate between 1st and 2nd winters. The image was taken in October 2008 and the bird looks like it is moulting into 2nd winter plumage.

[Dave Brown]

Hi,

Your absolutely right John. This is a 1st winter RBGU. A 2nd winter bird would most likely show a greenish bill with a a ringed tip. It would also not show the black tail band seen in this gull and the underwings would be mostly white lacking the brown mottling displayed by this bird.

Dave Brown