Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) | Species | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 (1/500th sec at f11. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings) DescriptionWS: 137 - 155cm The Caspian Gull is a large bird, and a member of the Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gull complex. It has a long, slender bill, accentuated by the sloping forehead. The legs, wings, and neck are longer than those of the Herring and Yellow-legged Gulls. The eye is small and often dark, and the legs vary from pale pink to a pale yellowish colour. The back and wings are a slightly darker shade of grey than the Herring Gull, but slightly paler than the Yellow-legged Gull. First-winter birds have a pale head with dark streaking on the back of the neck. The Caspian gull breeds around the Black and Caspian Seas, extending eastwards across Central Asia to north-west China. In Europe, it has been spreading north and west and now breeds in Poland and eastern Germany. It is now regularly seen in SE England, East Anglia and the Midlands. It typically nests on flat, low-lying ground by water. The Caspian Gull is a scavenger and predator with a very varied diet. It is regarded as of Least Concern by the IUCN. Sightings
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