Ross's Gull Bird ID?

Ross's Gull winter plumage

Q: Taking the given information as accurate (which I absolutely true to my knowledge and my four other siblings which saw this bird, possibly Ross's Gull), please give me your opinion.

  • Seen at Pere Marquette Park (beach), Muskegon, MI, at 10:00 AM on Jan. 18, 2010, flying at head level along the shoreline northbound. Seen for about 15 seconds, not shy, flew about 10 feet from us (in red winter coats) so that we could hear the wingbeats. We were inexperienced birders, and we didn't take note of the tail shape or bill color.
  • Very obvious light lavender/faded gray complete collar and no hood or eye-spot behind the eye. This is something we will never compromise.
  • Light overall, with very light gray under-wings, no under-wing pattern was observed because we didn't know about defining gull ID characteristics at the time. No sharp contrasts, and no freckles or streaking, no black anywhere.
  • Size between Little Gull and Ring-billed. I have seen hundreds of Little Gulls in winter plumage at Turkey Point, ON, and am confident that this was absolutely NOT a Little Gull.
  • Flight somewhat buoyant and not fast, almost like a Little Gull.

Now that I have obtained more gull experience, and because the observers still remember the gull very accurately, I thought an ID might be possible.

I have no photos. I realize Ross's Gull is an extremely rare species (it would be the first Michigan record). I look forward to your response, and thank you very much.

Reply: From your description, especially the details about the collar and size, I cannot think of anything else this gull to be but a Ross's Gull.

The only other gull that it can be confused with is a Little Gull which you have seen plenty of and are confident that it is not.

Of course during the time of the year that you saw the gull (January), the Ross's gull would be in its winter plumage and the collar would not be distinct - but as you said, it was faded. The Little Gull would have a dark cap in the winter.

Video of Ross's Gull in Winter Plumage

Related Bird Identification Pages

Bird Identification

Bird Field Guides

Wild Bird Identification

Best Birding Apps for iPhone

Bird Song Identification

Bird Watching Tips

Warbler Identification Guide

Ross's Gull Life History

Image courtesy of Seabamirum on Flickr

Our Favorite
Bird Watching Binoculars, Squirrel-Proof Feeder & Hummingbird Feeder
Read Our Reviews:
nikon monarch binoculars for birdwatching
Nikon Monarch M5
Best mid-priced bird watching binoculars. Waterproof, shockproof, multi-coated ED-Glass.
best squirrel proof bird feeder no batteries required
Squirrel-Proof
No batteries, adjustable, easy to clean...and no squirrels!
"Best New Product" Award.
use bird bath heaters to defrost ice during the winter
Bird Bath Heater
Keeps your bird baths ice-free down to -20 F. Low-operating costs ~$1/mo
Click Images or Links To View More Info
For the Latest Bird Watching News, Hot Birding Spots, Tips & More,
Subscribe to Our FREE Newsletter: The Birder Alert!
Enter Your Email:

Don't worry — your e-mail address is totally secure.
I promise to use it only to send you The Birder Alert!.
Get Updates...It's FREE!
Enter Your Email:

Join Us On:
birdwatching facebook birdwatching pinterest