White-eyed Gull (L. leucophthalmus) & Sooty Gull (L. hemprichii)(last update: |
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Sooty Gull L. hemprichii.These
two species are of medium size, about the size of or little smaller than a Common Gull (L. canus),
but completely different in shape and behavior. They have long wings and a
strong and powerful bill and head giving the impression of a larger sized
gull at a distance. They are both dark grey above and have dark under-wing
coverts in all ages. The dark head extends to the upper-breast and
resembles an executioner's hood in adult White-eyed Gull. At rest, with
folded wings they have an elongated rear end. In many ways they appear
different from the other Western Palearctic gulls. Mars Muusse spent the period 19 February to 05
March 2002 near Sharm El Sheik. This place lies
close to the breeding sites of White-eyed Gull on Tiran Island, where
30-80 pairs were found in the 1970s-80s (Shirihai 1996). By September,
White-eyed Gulls may aggregate to large feeding frenzies, with up to 1.000
or 2.000 individuals at the mouth of the Gulf of Suez. He only saw groups
of maximum 6 individuals along the SE coast. White-eyed Gull (Larus leucophthalmus) 2CY Compared to Sooty Gull, which is the only likely confusing species in
the area,
White-eyed Gull has a longer, thinner and slender bill, appearing all dark
from a distance and clearly lacking the two-toned billed of Sooty Gull. The bill is slightly drooping and the gonydeal angle is
practical absent, recalling Slender-billed Gull's bill. White-eyed Gull is smaller in size
than Sooty and especially more elegantly build;
lacking the high breast and strong neck characteristic for Sooty Gull. White-eyed Gull, as
the name suggests, has two white crescents in all plumages and especially
the upper crescent is very obvious. This is only a small crescent in
Sooty Gull and the lower crescent is completely lacking in that species. Sooty Gull (Larus hemprichii) 2CY Sooty Gull has a thicker and straighter
bill, with a pronounced gonydeal angle. In all plumages the bill is
clearly two-toned with a paler basal half and a dark tip. The basal half
is yellowish-grey in immatures and yellow in adults. At close distance,
the black tip of the bill in adult plumage appears to be a black bill-band
with a small red tip. The eye crescent is worse-defined in Sooty, yet
obvious above the eye, white in adults and off-white in first winter
plumage, but never as conspicuous as in White-eyed Gull. Normally the
lower crescent is missing, where White-eyed Gull shows a clear crescent
both above and below the eye. |
2CY birds |
Sooty Gull 2CY, March 04 2002, visitor's centre of Nabq National Park, SE Sinai, Egypt. | ||
3CY birds |
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Sooty Gull 3CY with 2CY (back), March 04 2002, visitor's centre of Nabq National Park, SE Sinai, Egypt. | ||
Sooty Gull 3CY, March 04 2002, visitor's centre of Nabq National Park, SE Sinai, Egypt. | ||
sub-adult birds |
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near-adult Sooty Gull, March 04 2002, visitor's centre of Nabq National Park, SE Sinai, Egypt. | ||
adult birds |
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Adult Sooty Gull, March 04 2002, visitor's centre of Nabq National Park, SE Sinai, Egypt. | ||
With White-eyed Gull, March 04 2002, visitor's centre of Nabq National Park, SE Sinai, Egypt. | ||