Caspian Gull
(Larus cachinnans)

The Caspian Gull comes from the Black and Caspian Seas with a small breeding population in Poland.

Unless you have really studied gulls the Caspian (and to some extent the Yellowlegged gull) can be very difficult to identify. A must is to first age the bird and then a good starting point in  early winter is to look for a bird that does not have noticeable streaking on the head as Caspian Gulls are often unmarked except, perhaps, for a streaky grey 'shawl' around the base of the neck. In winter, adult Caspians have very pale, sparsely marked head that stands out really well when within a group of Herring Gulls. By late winter this is not so noticeable and the best way to identify the bird then is to concentrate on the head, in particular head and bill shape, and tone of mantle. The head is small with the crown typically rounded, a slight crest noted on some occasions when at rest - when the head is lifted up it is very like a Common Gull.

The bill and legs are long, the bill being particularly noteworthy.

In adults you must see the primaries to confirm the bird as Caspian. The outermost primaries have a distinctive pattern and have a large white spot on the wing tip. Eye colour can also help as Caspians are very dark which is one of the ways of separating them from Yellow-legged Gull. Some male birds can be the same size as a Great Black-backed Gull.

Do remember though, that not all that not all Caspian Gulls are well behaved enough to follow the guide books it is crucial to learn the different plumage characters, moult and jizz. and to combine it with a good look at the Herring gull in all its different plumages to accurately identify the bird as Caspian.

Juvenile Caspian Gull. Paglesham Lagoon. 27/08/05. Photo by Steve Arlow (SOG). 1st winter Caspian Gull. Paglesham Lagoon. 26/11/05. Photo by Steve Arlow (SOG).