Lesser Black-backed Gull


Compost Piles near Ithaca, NY - 31 January 2007

Note the pinkish legs and black markings on the bill of this gull. This individual was first
suspected to be a LBBG-Herring hybrid, however it is probably just a 3rd or 4th winter
Lesser Black-backed still showing pinkish legs and a little bit of black in the bill. Note you
can barely see some brownish feathers in the second picture, which further supports this idea.

Click the photos for a closer look.






Compost Piles near Ithaca, NY - 9 December 2006

This 3rd winter bird was first noticed sleeping east of the compost piles, then flew to the
compost piles to feed. An adult Lesser Black-backed and a 1st winter Iceland Gull (#2)
were also present. This odd Herring Gull(?) was also in the group.

(Click images to zoom in.)

With 3rd winter Herring Gull.


With 1st winter Herring Gull.




Spread wings showing undersides of primaries. Note Iceland Gull in back.
Click here for a blurry flight shot of the Lesser Black-backed.


Did you notice the Iceland Gull in the photos below and above?





Here's a nice ID challenge! Can you ID all the gulls in this horribly blurry photo?





This is an adult bird seen at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge at the top of Cayuga Lake, NY in the fall of 2005. (The other bird is an adult Ring-billed Gull.)
Click photo to enlarge.


For more photos of this 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull as well as another adult, both seen in Ithaca, NY, Jan 06, click here.


Here are photos from the reservoir in Pueblo, CO in late December / early January.
I don't know if these are the same bird or not, as multpile adult birds were present during this time.

So this bird was on the ice with the Glaucous Gull I photographed on 12/23/05. I'm sure you can pick out the Lesser Black-backed
(ignore the legs, they were more yellowish than the photo shows), Ring-billed and Herring Gulls, but what's that darker bird to the
back and right!? You'd be correct if you guessed California Gull.


A horrible photo, but still good enough for you get IDs for two species of gull.

All Photos (C) 2006 Paul Hurtado
(Just let me know if you use them!)