Presumed Heuglin's Gull L heuglini

Heuglin's Gull - Larus heuglini

1-5: © Visa Rauste, 28-05-05. Tampere, Finland.

This and the next bird represent individuals with plain, dark feathers. These birds are often difficult to separate with certainty from intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Baltic Gulls that did not moult any primaries on the wintering grounds. This bird is a good example: the juvenile secondaries and primaries and rather pale scapulars and wing coverts favour heuglini over fuscus, but these feathers lack the distinct bluish hue found in many heuglini. It has replaced many of the visible wing coverts, all tertials, the complete tail and some inner secondaries.