Heuglin's Gull (L. heuglini / antelius)
(last update:
Heuglini / barabensis adult, February 06 2008, Morjim Beach, Goa, India. Picture: Tom Tams.
See also Tom's website. Upperparts a shade of grey paler than other birds photographed by Tom under same conditions. This would advocate the taxon barabensis over heuglini. Barabensis is the southern relative of heuglini, breeding largely in the Novosibirsk region.
The short bright yellow legs and rounded head may also fit better to barabensis.
Still, barabensis is normally placed in the group of steppe gulls like cachinnans, with an early moult scheme. P10 is still falling short in this individual.
below: adult barabensis, February 28 2001, Manama, Bahrain.
From the heuglini breeding sites on the Russian tundra, it is about 6.000 km south to reach Goa beach.
Below: estimated breeding distribution of Asian taxa (source: Liebers-Helbig et all, 2010).
