Probable Great Black-backed x Herring Gull Hybrid

Photographed at North Point Marina in Illinois on March 12, 2005 by Robert Hughes

All photos were taken with a Questar telescope and a FujiFilm A303 digital camera

#1 This is a big bird, obviously larger than the Herring Gull to the left. The mantle color appeared to be slightly paler gray than the gray of a graellsii Lesser Black-backed Gull. The legs are a non-descript pink.

#2 The large white apical spots on the primaries suggest that a Great Black-backed Gull is one of the parent species of this bird.

#3 The large white tip on p10 and the large white mirror on p9 also suggest that a Great Black-backed Gull is one of the parent species of this bird.