Zuguro-kamome
(Larus saundersi)
This species breeds on the shore of Yellow Sea, China, and winters in coastal areas, of Korea, Japan, and China. The range is limited in East Asia. The global population is estimated only 21,000 to 22,000 individuals.
The main wintering area in Japan is western Japan including Kyushu. Ten to twenty birds regularly winter in estuary of Kongo River, Matsuzaka, Mie. The wintering gulls can be seen at a short distance. The birds sometimes visit other shoreline in Mie. Our shoreline is the eastern most of the wintering areas in Japan.
The plumage resembles to that of commonly found Black-headed Gull. But bill of Saunders’s is black and short. The white and grey pattern on upper surface of the wing differs from that of Black-headed. Saunders’s has a narrow but clear white band on the rear edge of wing.
The pattern of young gull differs somewhat. Forage technique differs. Saunders’ does not dive into water as Black-headed. Saunders’s softly lands on tidal flat and picks up prey. Well-trained bird watchers can identify this gull in its soft wing beat at distance.