Sunday, August 14, 2011

Afternoon View - A Gull


Since Chicago is hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean, this pretty fellow cannot be a sea gull. 
Is there such a thing as a lake gull?

2 Comments:

At 8:45 PM , Blogger Speck said...

Googled "seagulls in chicago" and found your little guy is a ring-billed gull.

TMI on ring-billed gulls because I'm geeky and feel compelled to disseminate arcane information:

"General Information:
The term gull refers to a group of 23 North American species belonging to the family Laridae. In the Great Lakes region, including Chicago and Milwaukee, the most common sea gull species is the ring-billed gull, which, along with the herring gull, is also one of the most widespread and abundant species across all of North America. The ring-billed gull population has been increasing steadily in recent history with the North American population estimated at 3-4 million. The breeding population in Chicago, discovered and estimated at less than 1000 individuals in 1975, has since grown to well over 100,000 individuals, and is continuing to increase at a rapid rate.


Appearance:
The ring-billed gull is a medium sized gull with a light gray back and upper wings, and white under parts and yellow legs. It’s most distinguishing characteristic is a distinct black band around a yellow bill. Ring-billed gulls are considered “three year birds” meaning they don’t attain the described adult plumage until their third year, going through various mottled brown plumages in the process."

Source:
http://www.wildgoosechasers.com/gulls/gullinfo.php

 
At 9:49 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

We see these in Tennessee, too. Usually around trash dumpsters and WalMart parking lots.

 

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