Help with a gull

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.
Post Reply
User avatar
Sbruenjes
Posts: 54
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2026 3:13 am
Has thanked: 263 times
Been thanked: 143 times

Help with a gull

Post by Sbruenjes »

I saw this gull today at Sandy Hook Beach in Monmouth, NJ. The lack of black wing tips is confusing me. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Top
User avatar
Aidan B
Posts: 145
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2026 5:43 pm
Location: Humboldt County, California
Has thanked: 105 times
Been thanked: 363 times

Re: Help with a gull

Post by Aidan B »

Pretty sure it's a Herring
Top
User avatar
Hooded Robin
Posts: 68
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2026 2:15 pm
Has thanked: 140 times
Been thanked: 147 times

Re: Help with a gull

Post by Hooded Robin »

Aidan B wrote: Wed Feb 04, 2026 10:59 pm Pretty sure it's a Herring
Can Iceland (Thayer's) be discounted?
Top
User avatar
AveryF
Posts: 29
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2026 3:29 am
Location: Tennessee
Has thanked: 10 times
Been thanked: 38 times
Contact:
Contact AveryF

Re: Help with a gull

Post by AveryF »

Hooded Robin wrote: Wed Feb 04, 2026 11:38 pm
Aidan B wrote: Wed Feb 04, 2026 10:59 pm Pretty sure it's a Herring
Can Iceland (Thayer's) be discounted?
Here’s my take, and I could be totally off base.
The bird is in its second cycle (replaced mantle feathers while retaining immature body feathers), which explains the lack of adult primaries, and in comparing Thayer’s and Am Herring, the tail is different between the two. Am Herring has fairly dark rectrices, and a mostly white rump/UpTC, while Thayer’s shows lighter brown rectrices and a fairly smudgy rump/UnTC. The bill also is fairly bulbous, something I have yet to really see on any Iceland.
Life - 669: Willow Ptarmigan, Black-billed Magpie, Cassin’s Finch
Tennessee - 340: Black-capped Chickadee, Ruffed Grouse, Green-tailed Towhee
Rutherford - 253: Swallow-tailed Kite, Mississippi Kite, Black-bellied Plover
Photo/Audio - 617/359
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Help Me Identify a North American Bird”