-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Vega gull or American herring gull? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Jiwoong jang
- Start date
Hi,
Its a difficult call going on how similar the two are, but I think Vega because grey mantle is fairly dark and the streaking on the head is weak. I would wait for Lou or someone else with expert knowledge to judge, though.
Andy
ps welcome to the forum
Its a difficult call going on how similar the two are, but I think Vega because grey mantle is fairly dark and the streaking on the head is weak. I would wait for Lou or someone else with expert knowledge to judge, though.
Andy
ps welcome to the forum
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Welcome to the forum JJ,
It's a difficult group of birds, especially confusing in East Asia, for me anyway. Are you concerned because the bird has a pale eye? A small percentage of Vega Gulls appear pale eyed at this time of year whereas the majority are rather dark eyed it appears. Otherwise, from this image it looks okay for a Vega.
I would suggest that you should attempt to get as many images as possible including open wing/flight shots especially with the challenges of LWHG identification.
I assume that you have seen and know this group - http://www.birdskorea.org/Birds/Identification/ID_Notes/BK-ID-Herring-Gull-Page1.shtml
It's a difficult group of birds, especially confusing in East Asia, for me anyway. Are you concerned because the bird has a pale eye? A small percentage of Vega Gulls appear pale eyed at this time of year whereas the majority are rather dark eyed it appears. Otherwise, from this image it looks okay for a Vega.
I would suggest that you should attempt to get as many images as possible including open wing/flight shots especially with the challenges of LWHG identification.
I assume that you have seen and know this group - http://www.birdskorea.org/Birds/Identification/ID_Notes/BK-ID-Herring-Gull-Page1.shtml
lou salomon
the birdonist
i can only agree to what andy and mark already have said. these very similar taxa species which once all where "one" aquire more than one pic and best with an open wing shot.
pale billed vega is very probable since american herring usually has more head streaking (but some western smiths with less striation, similar to the subject gull).
one more link to western pacific gulls:
http://www23.tok2.com/home/jgull/gullidentifi_.htm#S
and: http://chrisgibbins-gullsbirds.blogspot.com/2009/12/japan-day-2-vega-and-slaty-backed-gulls.html
http://chrisgibbins-gullsbirds.blogspot.com/2010/01/adult-vega-gull.html
http://chrisgibbins-gullsbirds.blogspot.com/2010/01/adult-vega-gull-wing-patterns.html
(see whole january 2010 in chris' blog!)
cheers
pale billed vega is very probable since american herring usually has more head streaking (but some western smiths with less striation, similar to the subject gull).
one more link to western pacific gulls:
http://www23.tok2.com/home/jgull/gullidentifi_.htm#S
and: http://chrisgibbins-gullsbirds.blogspot.com/2009/12/japan-day-2-vega-and-slaty-backed-gulls.html
http://chrisgibbins-gullsbirds.blogspot.com/2010/01/adult-vega-gull.html
http://chrisgibbins-gullsbirds.blogspot.com/2010/01/adult-vega-gull-wing-patterns.html
(see whole january 2010 in chris' blog!)
cheers
Last edited:
