As I think Philip Veerman said to one of your previous photos, the bill is the key to identifying the two regular large gulls in Australia. The Pacific has a thicker bill and both mandibles are tipped with colour, in this case blackish which indicates a juvenile bird. The Pacific Gull in its juvenile plumage also has the black band beneath the white rump.
Both species are common in Tasmania.
Mark
From: Margaret Leggoe [
Sent: Friday, 21 December 2012 8:11 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] Is THIS a Pacific gull?
When I was photographing these I thought the juveniles were kelp gulls, but the black blob at the end of the top and bottom beaks looks more like a Pacific. Is it? Taken in Hobart 12/12/12
Many thanks for the previous ID’s; think I forgot to thank you at the time.
Margaret Leggoe
