Rescued gull chick ID uk please (1 Viewer)

[deborah4]

Hi all

Can anyone confirm this is a LBBG chick? Ground rescue early this morning very thin and hungry and now encamped in my bath. There are only Herring Gulls now nesting in the immediate area which are also coming into the garden and I'd initially assumed (being half asleep at 6 am this morning!) it was one of theirs that had fallen into the neighbour's garden (poor bu88er got a nasty shock when one of them launched into a vicious attack on it over some food and water I'd left out) - a pair of LBBGs seemed to be nesting on roof a few doors down last week (not very common rooftop nester here) but past 3 or 4 days, lots of corvid activity in same vicinity and possible predation by Herring Gulls of LBBG chicks/eggs. No sign of any LBBGs for several days.

 

[Gentoo]

Funny, no matter where gulls are nesting, all species chicks seem to be around the same age. Western Gull chicks here are looking like that now.

Anyway, I'd very quickly find a wildlife rehab center to take it to. In the mean time you will need to feed it something. Try ground beef. If you get fish or or shrimp or anything, you will need to make sure that you use only the soft parts and grind them up in a blender but not too much. Young gulls have relatively sensitive throats. Feed it then take it to a rehab center as they can provide the best care for it.

 

[deborah4]

Thanks G - it was an ID I was hoping for though.

 

[deborah4]

still none of you experts out there can give a positive ID on this chick?

Herring or LBBG?

It seems to lack the extensive pale tip on bill for Lesser and bill looks quite long/slim. However, aren't mantle feathers too dark centred for HG (which made me question initial ID - also seem to be fringed in darker buff than I thought was normal for HG.

Any help welcome:

A clearer pic

 

[Andrew R]

Hi Deb, years ago i remember spending a day ringing young Herring and LBB, the ringers identified them through wing pattern if i remember correctly but i just cant remember whether it was on markings or colour?

 

[deborah4]

Hi Deb, years ago i remember spending a day ringing young Herring and LBB, the ringers identified them through wing pattern if i remember correctly but i just cant remember whether it was on markings or colour?

Hi Andrew

I pretty much came to the conclusion it's a Herring Gull. Bill shape primarily but also too small for a LBBG. (even an undernourished one). Doesn't look as dark in broad sunlight of day! I estimate it to be about 12-14 days old with roughly 3 weeks before fully fledged.

Any way, apologies for OT comments on an ID thread but good news, if people were concerned by my earlier post - shortly after the shot above was taken this morning on doorstep of bathroom into garden, it was attacked by another adult HG and grabbed round the neck and had it pinned down in the porch entrance. I managed to get the adult off then put chick back into it's 'bath' bed which I'd been cleaning out. Unfortunately, canibalism and territory attacks can be common with our crowed rooftop HGs here, especially since they've ended household rubbish collection reducing easy food availability, so just not safe to return it to possibly wrong roof where it could be killed by stranger adults/pushed off roof by defending chicks or let it loose in garden and attacked by gulls competing with it for food I'd leave out. After lots of phone calls this morning finally found a place for it at the very excellent Mallydams Rehab where I've taken an HG chick before. M.A.D.A.R.S have just collected it and they will be taking this chick and several other abandoned 'roof falls' down first thing in morning where it will be ringed immediately with an identification tag until ringing 'proper'.