About the Vega Gull
The Vega gull, East Siberian gull, or East Siberian herring gull is a large gull of the herring gull/lesser black-backed gull complex which breeds in Northeast Asia. Its classification is still controversial and uncertain. It is variously treated as a separate species, as a subspecies of the American herring gull or included with both the American herring gull and European herring gull in L. argentatus. The Mongolian gull Larus mongolicus was formerly regarded as a subspecies of Vega gull. It was described in 1887 from specimens collected on the 1878–1880 Vega Expedition on the Swedish ship SS Vega.
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The Vega gull is similar to the herring gull but is slightly darker grey above. The head of the Vega gull is heavily streaked with brown in winter, especially on the back and sides of the neck forming a collar. The legs are usually bright pink. First- and second-winter Vega gulls are darker than the similar Mongolian gull, notably on the crown of the head where Mongolian gulls even in first- and second-winter are a bit paler. Almost the full body of first- and second-winter Vega gulls displays darker brown flecks and streaks.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Canada.
When to see it
Peak activity in June · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
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.
Slaty-backed GullLarus schistisagusIt 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.
Belcher's GullLarus belcheriBelcher's gull is 48–54 centimetres (19–21 in), with a wingspan of about 120 cm (47 in).
Learn the Vega Gull for real
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