| Adult Steppe Gull (Larus (c.?) barabensis). This individual has an armenicus-like bill:- rather short, with thick black subterminal band that mostly obscures the red gonydal spot. However, the primary pattern - P8 without gray tongue but P7 with extensive gray, even on the outer edge - is typical of barabensis; on armenicus P7 normally resembles P8 in that it is mostly black, so that the first primary showing any gray tongue is P6. Having said this, I have seen a photo of one armenicus in flight (in Israel) that seems to have a P7 similar to this bird. Note also that while on armenicus in winter the black bill band is cleanly-defined, it can start to blur along the edges in the Spring, thus resembling this individual (apparently, breeding armenicus have poorly-defined black bill-bands). |
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