About the Slender-billed Gull
The slender-billed gull is a mid-sized gull which breeds very locally around the Mediterranean and the north of the western Indian Ocean on islands and coastal lagoons. Most of the population is somewhat migratory, wintering further south to as far as North Africa and India. A few birds have wandered to western Europe. A vagrant individual was reportedly seen on Antigua, April 24, 1976.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
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.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the Slender-billed Gull lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Belgium, Sweden, United Kingdom, Germany, Taiwan, Czechia, Finland, Kyrgyzstan, Gibraltar, Netherlands.
When to see the Slender-billed Gull
Peak activity in April · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Grey-headed GullChroicocephalus cirrocephalusThe grey-headed gull is slightly larger than the black-headed gull at 42 cm length.
Brown-hooded GullChroicocephalus maculipennisAdults in the breeding season have a dark brown head and throat with a white semicircle around the posterior of the eye, while the neck, chest and abdomen are white.
Hartlaub's GullChroicocephalus hartlaubiiHartlaub's gull is 37–39 cm in length, with a wingspan of 89–92 cm and a weight of 235–340 g.
Side by side: Bonaparte's Gull vs Slender-billed Gull · Brown-hooded Gull vs Slender-billed Gull · Grey-headed Gull vs Slender-billed Gull · Sabine's Gull vs Slender-billed Gull
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