Black-billed gull chick in the shade of its parent - Larus bulleri
Photographed on the Ashley River.
The use of a portable duck shooter's maimai (hide) enabled me to get these shots without scaring these birds off their nests. It was the first time I've used it and was very successful. Definitely a useful new tool in the bird watching kit.
Black-billed gulls are endemic to New Zealand. The majority of the population (78%) breeds in Southland. Mostly a freshwater inland river and lake gull but also found out to the coast especially estuaries. Some birds remain at colonies throughout the year, others move from inland breeding sites to the coasts. While still regarded as common, large declines on their populations on traditional stronghold breeding rivers in Southland is a concern and their most recent conservation status was upgraded to threatened.
Identification
37 cm. Pale grey-and-white gull. Adult, pale, silvery-grey back and wings. Thinly black-bordered wing-tips. White underparts. Long, thin, black bill. Black to reddish-black legs and feet. White eye. Juvenile, more extensive black on wing-tips. Pale, flesh bill with dark tip. Pinkish to reddish-black legs. Brown eye. Similar spp. Red-billed Gull L. novaehollandiae has shorter, deeper bill - red in adults, darker grey wings, more extensive black on wing-tips.
Black-billed gull chick in the shade of its parent - Larus bulleri
Photographed on the Ashley River.
The use of a portable duck shooter's maimai (hide) enabled me to get these shots without scaring these birds off their nests. It was the first time I've used it and was very successful. Definitely a useful new tool in the bird watching kit.
Black-billed gulls are endemic to New Zealand. The majority of the population (78%) breeds in Southland. Mostly a freshwater inland river and lake gull but also found out to the coast especially estuaries. Some birds remain at colonies throughout the year, others move from inland breeding sites to the coasts. While still regarded as common, large declines on their populations on traditional stronghold breeding rivers in Southland is a concern and their most recent conservation status was upgraded to threatened.
Identification
37 cm. Pale grey-and-white gull. Adult, pale, silvery-grey back and wings. Thinly black-bordered wing-tips. White underparts. Long, thin, black bill. Black to reddish-black legs and feet. White eye. Juvenile, more extensive black on wing-tips. Pale, flesh bill with dark tip. Pinkish to reddish-black legs. Brown eye. Similar spp. Red-billed Gull L. novaehollandiae has shorter, deeper bill - red in adults, darker grey wings, more extensive black on wing-tips.