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10

Lesser Black-backed Gull

(Larus fuscus)
German name(s): "Heringsmöwe"
Size: 48-56 cm; wing span: 1.15-1.35 m
Weight: 0.45-1.1 kg

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Lesser Black-backed Gull at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "intermedius"

This race is also called the "Baltic Gull".

ADULT

BREEDING

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage; note the very dark-grey mantle characteristic of this race; the absence of streaking on head and neck is typical for breeding plumage - click on image to also see an European Herring Gull (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Lökken, Jütland, Denmark, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Lökken, Jütland, Denmark, September 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Lökken, Jütland, Denmark, September 2019]

Lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Lökken, Jütland, Denmark, September 2019]

Lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage - click on image to also see an European Herring Gull
(photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Lökken, Jütland, Denmark, September 2019]

NON-BREEDING

Sex unknown

Close-up near-lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage; given its very dark-grey mantle, this bird is likely of race "intermedius" (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Morraceira island, Figueira da Foz, Mondego estuary, Portugal, January 2023]

Race "graellsii"

ADULT

BREEDING

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Sesimbra, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, September 2020]

Frontal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, August 2017]

Near-frontal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, July 2017]

Near-lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage, right; for comparison, a second calendar-year(?) Ring-billed Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, July 2017]

Lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage; second calendar-year Lesser Black-backed Gull at front left (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, August 2017]

Lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage snoozing on a rooftop (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, February 2020]

Lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage snoozing on a rooftop (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, March 2019]

Flock of Lesser Black-backed Gulls, with adults in breeding plumage and various juvenile/immature stages
(photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, July 2017]

Near-lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Raso, Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal, February 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Raso, Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal, May 2019]

Lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage in flight, with a view of its upperparts
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Peniche, Peniche, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage in flight, with a view of its upperparts
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Raso, Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in breeding plumage in flight, with a view of its underparts
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Raso, Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal, February 2019]

NON-BREEDING

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Sesimbra, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, September 2020]

Frontal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Sesimbra, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, September 2020]

Frontal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Sesimbra, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, September 2020]

Frontal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage, together with a Black-tailed Godwit
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montijo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, January 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull moulting into non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Sesimbra, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, September 2020]

Near-lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage at the point of take-off (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Vila Real Santo Antonio, Faro, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Sesimbra, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, September 2020]

Lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Almada, Setubal, Portugal, January 2023]

Near-dorsal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage with a tracking device - unfortunately, having slipped over the hind toe, the device appears to be bothering the bird (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, December 2017]

Near-dorsal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage; note its size compared to the much larger first calendar-year Great Black-backed Gull in the foreground (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Torre Beach, Carcavelos, near Lisbon, Portugal, November 2017]

Dorsal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Sesimbra, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, September 2020]

Dorsal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Off Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2022]

Near-frontal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo da Roca, Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal, February 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in non-breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Sardao, Odemira, Portugal, October 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a fourth calendar-year immature Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Sesimbra, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, September 2020]

Near-lateral view of a fourth calendar-year immature Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, November 2017]

Frontal view of a third calendar-year Lesser Black-backed Gull with a juvenile taking a bath (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Peniche, Peniche, Portugal, February 2019]

Near-frontal view of a third-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Sesimbra, Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, September 2020]

Near-lateral view of a third-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull spreading its wings (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Docapesca beach, Lisbon, Portugal, January 2019]

Lateral view of a third-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Salinas do Forte do Rato, Tavira, Algarve, Portugal, September 2020]

Lateral view of a third-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Docapesca beach, Lisbon, Portugal, January 2019]

Lateral view of a third-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Docapesca beach, Lisbon, Portugal, January 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a third-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Vila Real Santo Antonio, Faro, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a third-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[El Retiro, Madrid, Spain, December 2019]

Dorsal view of a third-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Docapesca beach, Lisbon, Portugal, January 2019]

Lateral view of a second calendar-year immature Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Vila Real Santo Antonio, Faro, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Near-frontal view of a second calendar-year immature Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, July 2017]

Lateral view of a second calendar-year immature Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, July 2017]

Lateral view of a second calendar-year immature Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, July 2017]

Lateral view of a second calendar-year immature Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, August 2017]

Lateral view of second calendar-year immature Lesser Black-backed Gulls behind a second calendar-year(?) Ring-billed Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, July 2017]

Lateral view of a second winter Lesser Black-backed Gull in flight, with a view of its upperparts (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Raso, Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral view of a second winter Lesser Black-backed Gull in flight, with a view of its underparts (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Raso, Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal, February 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a second-winter immature Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Port of Vila Real Santo Antonio, Faro, Algarve, Portugal, October 2020]

Frontal view of a first calendar-year Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, November 2017]

Frontal view of a first calendar-year Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, September 2017]

Near-lateral view of a first calendar-year Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, November 2017]

Lateral view of a first calendar-year Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Costa da Caparica, Portugal, September 2017]

Lateral view of a first calendar-year Lesser Black-backed Gull (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Lateral view of two first calendar-year Lesser Black-backed Gulls (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Crail, near St Andrews, Scotland, September 2017]

Frontal view of a first calendar-year Lesser Black-backed Gull, back, here in comparison with a first calendar-year Mediterranean Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, near Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, August 2017]

Lateral view of a first calendar-year Lesser Black-backed Gull, back, here in comparison with a first calendar-year Mediterranean Gull (photo courtesy of G. Pinelas)
[Lagoa de Albufeira, near Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, August 2017]

Food, Diet

Near-frontal view of a Lesser Black-backed Gull with its prey, a crab (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Raso, Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal, February 2019]

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