Gull Identification Workshop No.1 - The Band-tailed Gull

What with the gull season almost upon us and rare gulls being reported left, right and centre...but not, of course, in Toronto, I thought it timely to show a few pix of Band-tailed Gull. This one's for you Mr. Gull! All these videograbs were taken in Northern Chile in July and depict birds sometimes known as "Belcher's Gull". What was once known as Band-tailed Gull is in fact two species with the closely related Olrog's Gull being confined to the atlantic coasts of southern South America.


The first photo shows a first basic individual. Very distinct with mottled coffee-coloured body and wings contrasting with the extensive dark hood and breast and sharply demarcated two-toned bill.




The second through fourth photos show second basic birds in various stages of moult. They look like adult birds but show some old, brown and bleached wing coverts and have a bold black band near the tip of the bill. The extent of the blackish hood is highly variable.


The last two birds are adult or third year birds in mostly alternate plumage. Notice the largely white head, especially on the flying bird and the mostly red bill tip. Note also the total lack of white mirrors on the primary tips in all plumages and the broad black subterminal band on the tail which is obvious in flight. The legs are bright yellow on adult birds. The eye colour is always dark.


This is just a very brief photo overview of the most obvious features of this attractive gull. I would strongly recommend reading the Band-tailed Gull account in the recent "birds of Chile" (Jaramillo, Burke & Beadle) which is superbly illustrated by Peter Burke. Not that I'm trying to push the book or anything! Hope this helps anyone searching for Band-tailed Gulls in SW Ontario!