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[Hong Kong] Slaty-backed Gull ?

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Original posted by cgeoff at 1/02/2015 21:30
The narrow tail band and fairly clear-cut, obviously pale inner primaries and pale bill base identify this bird as Yellow-legged Gull.

GeoffC
Well, Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis - occurs only in Europa. Together with Caspian Gull - Larus cachinnans is was once one species, but they have been split.

Furthermore the bird in the picture, a Mongolian Gull, has been lumped under Vega Gull - Larus vegae.

So it's a Vega Gull - Larus vegae, or more broadly a Mongolian Gull - Larus vegae mongolicus.

See http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/coursers/ to get it 'always right', until they split and/or lump again... The HKBWS does not follow this and so would call this gull a Caspian Gull - Larus cachinnans.

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