Help with gulls

Need help identifying a bird? Please post your question here and if possible include a photo. Also let us know where and when you saw the bird. Other things that help are listing any field marks that stood out, behavioral information like how it walked, hopped or flew. This Forum is just for North American birds.
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Sbruenjes
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Help with gulls

Post by Sbruenjes »

I saw these birds today at Sandy Hook beach in New Jersey. I see the great blacked gull in the back left. Are the ones to the right with the lighter back Lesser black-backed? I think the larger bird on the left is an American herring gull.. Then the small bird front left and the larger, mostly white bird front right have me lost. Any help identifying the birds in this picture would be greatly appreciated
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Charlie Spencer
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Re: Help with gulls

Post by Charlie Spencer »

I have nightmares like this.

Based strictly on wing color, I think your front right is an American Herring. The front left small one may be a Ring-billed.

Any chance you would send me the original? We have the same large gulls here and I'd like to tackle the IDs as practice.
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AveryF
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Re: Help with gulls

Post by AveryF »

All the larger gulls are Great Black-backed of varying ages. A few adult Herring and an adult Ringer on the left as well. I don’t see any I would call Lesser Black-backed, they would be slightly smaller than the Herring.
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Sbruenjes
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Re: Help with gulls

Post by Sbruenjes »

The original is too big (15 MB) to attach... Is there another way I can get it to you?
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Charlie Spencer
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Re: Help with gulls

Post by Charlie Spencer »

Sbruenjes wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2026 5:15 pm The original is too big (15 MB) to attach... Is there another way I can get it to you?
Thanks but I'm good with Avery's diagnosis. The potential Lessers were the only ones that really had me flummoxed.
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