Small gull - (Lisbon, Portugal, 02/09/2025) (1 Viewer)

[Luís Vieira]

Good evening everyone,

I ask for help in identifying this gull that I photographed yesterday (02/09/2025) at beach "Praia do Dafundo" (Municipality of Oeiras, adjacent to Lisbon, Portugal). I went to this location in an attempt to photograph a Bonaparte's gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia), which has been observed several times by other observers (example eBIRD list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S210136570). This bird was in the water in front of the beach, but far from a large group of black-headed gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus which are common at this location. The bird caught my attention because it appeared to be smaller than a black-headed gull. When looking at the photos, the bird presents a rounded black ear spot and a black beak, but as the bird was backlit, the color of the beak may appear darker than it actually is.
Thanks.

 

[THE_FERN]

Looks good. No dark cap and long wings so not (eg) little gull

 

[leifvester]

I agree with Bonaparte's, however I do find the head of this gull strange.

I'm always getting tripped up by variation, so I'm sure that's all it is, but the head seems strangely large relative to the body? And very ping-pong ball like. Maybe the angle just?

Doesn't quite match this one for example: How to over-photograph a Bonaparte's Gull

*Maybe indicates female

Edit: Also you can see the white tips to the primaries just about, not that you need that for the ID.

 

[Evan Atkinson]

I agree with Bonaparte's, however I do find the head of this gull strange.

I'm always getting tripped up by variation, so I'm sure that's all it is, but the head seems strangely large relative to the body? And very ping-pong ball like. Maybe the angle just?

Doesn't quite match this one for example: How to over-photograph a Bonaparte's Gull

*Maybe indicates female

It's just the angle which makes it seem larger headed, probably because it would have been bobbing on the water. Definitely a Bonaparte's as well.

 

[Luís Vieira]

Thank you very much for your comments and clarifications. In fact, the bird appeared to be shrunken as it bobbed in the water, which made it appear more compact than normal is.