Bird Guide

Hartlaub's Gull vs Slender-billed Gull

Hartlaub's Gull (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)

Hartlaub's Gull

Chroicocephalus hartlaubii

Medium288 gCoastal

Hartlaub's gull is 37–39 cm in length, with a wingspan of 89–92 cm and a weight of 235–340 g. It is a mainly white gull with a grey back and upperwings, black wingtips with conspicuous white "mirrors", and a dark red bill and legs. When breeding it has a very faint lavender grey hood, but otherwise has a plain white head. The sexes are similar. This species differs from the slightly larger grey-headed gull in its thinner, darker bill, deeper red legs, paler, plainer head, and dark eyes. It takes two years to reach maturity. Juvenile birds have a brown band across the wings.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: salsaboy on Flickr · CC BY 2.0
Slender-billed Gull (Chroicocephalus genei)

Slender-billed Gull

Chroicocephalus genei

281 gCoastal

This species is 37 to 40 cm (14.6 to 15.7 in) long with a 90 to 102 cm (35.4 to 40.2 in) wingspan. It is therefore slightly larger than the black-headed gull, which it resembles, although it does not have a black hood in summer. It has a pale grey body, white head and breast and black tips to the primary wing feathers. The head and dark red bill have an elongated tapering appearance, and this bird also appears long-necked. The legs are dark red, and the iris is yellow. In summer, the breast has a faint pink colouration. This bird takes two years to reach maturity, as is usual in gulls.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Kostas Zontanos · CC BY 4.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Hartlaub's Gull and Slender-billed Gull.