'Taimyr Gulls' 'taimyrensis'
Nov 5th 2008 Miura Kanagawa Japan

This page shows yellow/yellowish-legged gulls (at least 8 individuals) that look reasonable to consider as 'Taimyr Gull' 'taimyrensis'. Individuals of this type are regularly found in small numbers throughout winter in the Kanto region (around Tokyo) where we live, but they tend to increase in fall (Oct.-Nov.) and spring (Mar.-Apr.), decrease in mid-winter.

They have strong tendency to show following features compared to Vega Gulls.

• Legs mainly yellow or yellowish with variable tone, often looks orange or flesh, or pinkish at webs.
• Relatively slimmer, lighter-built overall structure.
• Relatively bright yellow bill with large red spot.
• Thinner head streaking, less extensive to lower parts of breast, or lacking large smudges.
• Mantle similar to Vega Gulls or a little darker, paler than Black-tailed and Slaty-backed Gulls
• A little more extensive black on primaries. (e.g. small mirrors)
• Later primary molt on average. More often white head (breeding plumage) in October.
  

About 65 Vega Gulls, 10 Slaty-backed Gulls and 10 'Taimyr Gulls' were gathering at Miura beach (about 50km south of Tokyo). In this image, 2 'Taimyr Gulls' are present in the center among Vega Gulls.


2 'Taimyr Gulls' (right and center) walking with a Vega Gull (left)


2 'Taimyr Gulls' (the left-most and center) with Vega Gulls. Note their mantle color and primary molt.

2 'Taymyr Gulls' raising their wings with a Slaty-backed Gull. Note the clear diffrence of their primary molt.

This had the darkest mantle in this flock.


The same individual (right) with 2 Vega Gulls. Note the lighter mantles and earlier primary molt (but later than Slaty-backed) of the 2 Vega Gulls