A little cheat sheet for identifying gulls that can be seen in our area during the winter. I'm focused on adult gulls right now. Too many plumages exist for the 1 to 3 year old gulls. Will save that learning for another winter.
| gull | age | size | upperside wing | underside wing | wing tips | tail | head and neck streaking | bill | legs | eyes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring-billed | adult | L19" WS48" | gray | pale | black with white spot | white | faint and sparse | yellow with black band | yellow | pale |
| Herring | adult | L25" WS58" | gray | pale | black with white spot | white | extensive and dark | yellow with red spot | pink | pale |
| Great Black-backed | adult | L30" WS65" | black | light and dark gray | black with white spot | white | white | yellow with red spot | pale pink | clear yellow to dark |
| Lesser Black-backed | adult | L23" WS54" | dark gray | light gray and gray | black with small white spot | white | extensive and dark | yellow with red spot | bright yellow | clear yellow |
| Glaucous | adult | L28" WS60" | faint gray | nearly all white | white | white | faint and sparse | yellowish with red spot | pale pink | clear yellow |
| Iceland | adult | L23" WS54" | light gray | nearly all white | white or very little dark gray | white | none or faint | yellow-green with red spot | pink | pale yellow to brownish |
| Thayer's | adult | L23" WS54" | gray | white | some black | white | extensive and dark | yellow-green with red spot | deep pink | dark |
| Bonaparte's | adult | L13" WS32" | gray with white triangle | gray with white triangle | black | white | dark ear-spot | black | pink | black |
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current date: 03-Dec-2008 8:46 P.M.