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first winter taimyrensis "Taimyr" Gull

Fig 1) Note that all the coverts show large dark brown centers with narrow rounded pale fringes, the tertials are almost wholly brown with only a narrow white tip, the new scaps are grey with somewhat more diffuse 'anchors' than mongolicus, the underparts appear to show fairly extensive brown blotching, the bill looks proportionately finer than mongolicus with much more basal pink, and the head is relatively rounded (Jon R. King, pers. comm.). The brown bird in the back is a first winter Black-tailed Gull. Hong Kong. Photos by Karl Ng, copyright 2000.

Fig 2) Photo by Karl Ng copyright 2000.

Fig 3) This photo from Hong Kong shows two "Taimyr Gulls" on the outsides and a mongolicus in the middle. Note the dark bills, rather pale heads and underparts, very checkered coverts (including greater coverts, an important distiguishing mark from Lesser Black-backed), solid dark tertials with white tips, and blackish primaries. Photo by Karl Ng copyright 2000.