- Early Winter 2009/2010 Photo Quiz -
Discussion and Answer
Discussion
If you said this bird was a large immature gull you're on the right track. The incoming gray on the back is too pale for any of the dark-backed gulls so out they go. Looking at the folded primaries, we can see that they are dark brown, not black, and have narrow pale fringes, both good marks for first and second cycle Thayer's Gulls. The gently rounded head and small, even-sided bill are also consistent with Thayer's Gull. This second cycle Thayer's Gull was photographed on February 12, 2004 at Montrose Harbor in Chicago, Illinois.
Answer: Thayer's Gull
Rules: All quiz birds occur or have occurred in Illinois though they may not have been photographed in Illinois. To see a list of the birds that have been recorded in Illinois, refer to the Birds of Illinois section on this Web site. Unless stated otherwise, all photos were taken by the quizmaster.
Send your answers and comments to the quizmaster.
Previous Photo Quizzes (select a quiz from the menu below and click Go):