2nd cycle gulls

January 18, 2008June 6, 2008 by John Rakestraw, posted in identification challenges

Since I am still in “gull mode” from my class at Portland Audubon, here is another gull quiz. These three birds are in their second plumage cycle; still pretty brown and blotchy, but with some gray coming in on the mantle. All three were photographed in Oregon in autumn. Don’t worry. Pretty soon migration will pick up and my attentions will be drawn to other birds.

Number 1

Number 2

Number 3

2 thoughts on “2nd cycle gulls”

Laura says:

January 18, 2008 at 10:14 pm

Here I go again…
#1 – Thayer’s Gull
#2 – Ring-billed Gull
#3 – Glaucous-winged Gull

You should check out the Diabolical Female Waterfowl Quiz over at 10000birds.com if you want a hell of a quiz.

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Robert Lockett says:

January 19, 2008 at 5:41 pm

Thanks for the Gull class, John!

Here are my guesses (if i’m wrong, it shouldn’t reflect on your teaching so much as my learning):
1. California Gull
2. Western x Glaucous-winged hybrid
3. Glaucous-winged Gull

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