The twitchers among you that so wish, foolish or bold enough to take our word
for it (that is Jeff Davies and I), should start making preparations to go to
Broome to see the Black-backed Gull currently frequenting the rubbish tip.
Based on two photos received from Jim Allen and three from George Swann, we
believe that it is the nominate Baltic race of Lesser Black-backed Gull. We
have requested other views. It is a very black-backed, elongated slender gull
with yellow legs, smallish head, relatively slender bill with a small gonys. We
have considered female Kelp but believe it to be too slight in build. Harder to
eliminate is Heuglin's Gull but we consider this individual to be too dark on
the upperparts for that species.
There are as yet no accepted records of this taxon for Australia but several of
us consider that a bird photographed previously in Broome by an overseas
visitor was this species and there is a banding recovery from Cocos (Keeling)
Islands. Thus the species is on the Supplementary List.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC 3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
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