Appearance:

Very similar to Herring Gull, and not always possible to identify with certainty. Generally thicker neck, rounder head and longer wings than Herring Gull. Adults: Silvery upperparts, bright yellow legs (beware that it is not uncommon for Herring Gull to have yellow legs!), and more black and less white in wing-tips. Bill heavier than H.G. with markedly curved tip. Orbital ring red, not orange. Big, red gonys spot, often extending to upper mandible. Marked gonys angle. Primary feather P5 (counted from innermost feather in gulls) usually with broad, black band. In winter plumage head is less streaked than in H.G., and often completely white. Immatures first winter: Pale belly and head. Dark underwings with blotchy markings. Only vague pale window of inner primaries, and well defined, wedge-shaped tail-band. Dark base of bill. For a detailed account of all plumages see Gull Research.

Sound:

Voice more nasal than Herring Gull, but ID by sound difficult.

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Slender and elegant bird, about the same size as Grey Heron. Bill dark in breeding birds, otherwise yellow. Legs and feet dark, but tibia often with red tinge in breeding season. Long, S-shaped neck with sharp angle/bend. Erect posture, and less skulking, horizontal hunting behaviour than Little Egret. Almost twice the size of Little Egret, and wing-beats are considerably slower. Wings give the impression of being attached more upfront than in Little E. Feets protrude well beyond tail in flight.

Sound:

Silent outside breeding ground. In colonies various harsh calls like a dry, and mechanical "kerrrrrrr", and a very nasal "geet" or "ga-geet ga-geet" are heard.

Flight call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Lynette Rudman, Licence,Link.