About the Slaty-backed Gull
The slaty-backed gull is a large, white-headed gull that breeds on the north-eastern coast of the Palearctic, but travels widely during nonbreeding seasons. It is similar in appearance to the western gull and the glaucous-winged gull. Another alternate name is Pacific gull, though it also applies to a Southern Hemisphere species, L. pacificus.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
It is tied with the yellow-footed gull for fourth-largest gull species, measuring 55–68.5 cm (21.7–27.0 in) in length, 132–160 cm (52–63 in) in wingspan, and 1.05–1.7 kg (2.3–3.7 lb) in weight. Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 40 to 48 cm (16 to 19 in), the bill is 4.8 to 6.5 cm (1.9 to 2.6 in), and the tarsus is 6 to 7.6 cm (2.4 to 3.0 in). It has a white head, belly, and tail with a dark slaty-gray back and wings with a broad white trailing edge. The wings and back are slightly darker than those of the western gull (Kodak grey scale 9.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United Kingdom, Finland, Australia, Poland, Iceland, North Korea, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands.
When to see it
Peak activity in February · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Belcher's GullLarus belcheriBelcher's gull is 48–54 centimetres (19–21 in), with a wingspan of about 120 cm (47 in).
Armenian GullLarus armenicusThe Armenian gull is a fairly large gull species, though it is on average the smallest of the "herring gull" complex.
Yellow-footed GullLarus livensAdults are similar in appearance to the western gull with a white head, dark, slate-colored back and wings, and a thick yellow bill.
Learn the Slaty-backed Gull for real
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