Lesser Black-backed Gull

Description:

This is another large white-headed and white bodied gull, in average smaller than the Herring gull - but if it is smaller, the difference is very difficult to notice - please note pic N° 3 and 4, both species appear. This species sports dark grey mantle, darker than Herring gull (on the same pics, note the difference in colour, there is only one L. fuscus and it is on the left of both photos). Finally, knowing that L. fuscs sport bright yellow legs, this helps to separate it from other gulls present in Brittany.

Habitat:

During our stay in Brittany, we never observed a flock or a large group of L. fuscus, they were always mixed with other two large gulls (L. argentatus and L. marinus), and always a clear minority; never more than few birds in mixed flocks. And another remark - we always saw them away from settlements, mixed with two others but on rocky shores in protected areas and relatively isolated beaches... This observation is the contrary to my previous spotting of this species, from Morocco - https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/17... where they were dominant species in fully urban setting.

Notes:

When we changed our holiday plans and decided to go and visit Brittany, one of my hopes was to learn more about gulls, terns and Laridae family; and see some species I have never encountered before... As it came out, in my opinion, Brittany is a perfect spot for that - there are 33 species belonging to Laridae family registered, 19 of them regular. Even though we missed Kittiwakes and many ternes, we enjoyed discovering Greater and Lesser black backed; Herring and Mediterranean gulls, ternes..