Slaty-backed Gull (schistisagus) / オオセグロカモメ / 큰재갈매기

(last update: December 2015)

Slaty-backed Gull (schistisagus) 3rd cycle (3CY), October 17 2012, Nemuro, Hokkaido, Japan. Picture: Shiroto.

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Still in last phase of complete moult, P9 > P8. Upperpart grey tone as in Lesser Black-backed Gull, yellow iris with limited speckling, pink legs. 3rd gen flight feathers: adult-like inner and central primaries, secondaries grey base with bold white tips and more white in tail than in 2nd gen rectrices. Often mirror on P10. Note very broad white tips of lower tertials, which continue on the tips of the secondaries. Underparts normally mottled, but rather clean in this bird.