Lesser Black-backed and Iceland gulls on the Kaw River, Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas Photographed 6 January 2008 Canon EOS 1D Mark IIN / EF 500mm f4L IS + 1.4x and/or 2.0x teleconverter All photos © 2008 David Seibel

Bad light, thermal distortion, and distance made for mediocre photos, but I managed to get several shots that should at least help verify the identity of these birds. I invite any comments that might further this process. - David Seibel

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)

This first-winter bird is only a little bigger than some of the nearby Ring-billed Gulls. Its dark checkered mantle, streaked sides of the neck and breast, pale head, dark eye smudge, black bill, and pink foot are all visible (the foot color is much more evident in the original full-sized image).

Note the slender body, relatively small rounded head, blackish tertials, and barred vent and undertail coverts.

Below, the dark wings are visible with varying degrees of backlighting. The inner primaries lack the obvious "window" found in Herring Gulls. Also note the dark brown wing linings and the dark greater coverts. In the second image below, the wide dark tailband and pale (but barred) uppertail coverts are also displayed, as well as the pink legs and feet.

Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides)

This juvenile is the palest individual that I have seen in Kansas, probably approaching the pale extreme for the Kumlien's race ("L. g. kumlieni") normally occurring in North America. (See discussion of the taxonomy, and my photos of a "Kumlien's" / Thayer's Gull intergrade, here.) Note the relatively small size, stocky body, short pink legs, small rounded head, and short dark bill, giving the bird an almost pigeon-like appearance.

Note the broad wings and very faint markings on the wing and tail feathers.