Saunders's Gull
Saundersilarus saundersi
Elegant, dark-hooded gull, restricted to coastal East Asia. Small but stout-bodied and long-winged, with a dark bill in all plumages. Adult has a black head in breeding plumage; in all adult plumages, note distinctive white wingtips, unlike Black-headed. Black-headed Gull is generally similar, but larger, with a longer reddish bill and sturdier structure. Juvenile and first winter have black bill, unlike young Black-headed, which has pale reddish or yellowish bill base. Call distinctive, a high-pitched, ternlike “kee-eek.”
Identification
This is a very small species of gull with a length of just 33 cm (13 in) and, among gulls, only the little gull is smaller. Adults have a black hood and nape during the breeding season. It is very pale with a white body, pale grey wings and a narrow black tail band. The legs and short bill are black and the body is squat. Non-breeding birds have a mottled grey hood and nape, and white-tipped wings with black markings on the primaries.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Saundersilarus saundersi
- Authority
- (Swinhoe, 1871)
- Order
- Charadriiformes
- Family
- Laridae
- Genus
- Saundersilarus
Range and habitat
Saunders's gull breeds in eastern China and the west coast of Korea. It breeds in saltmarshes dominated by the seepweed (Suaeda glauca). It overwinters in southern China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, South Korea, southwestern Japan and Vietnam. Its winter habitats are estuaries and aquaculture ponds and some populations move inland to lakes and marshes.
- Breeding range
- PAL : coastal Liaoning to Jiangsu (Yellow Sea, e China) and Songdo (nw South Korea)
- Non-breeding range
- coasts of East China Sea from Japan and Korean Pen. to Taiwan and n South China Sea to n Vietnam
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Sclater's Lark
Spizocorys sclateri
A medium-sized, compact lark with a bulbous head and a chunky pale bill that appears upturned. The plumage is buffy-brown, especially the underparts, and the eye is underlined with a dark stripe that has a diagnostic tear-drop mark. Pairs inhabit stark, stony plains with scattered small shrubs and occasional grass, where they flip stones and extract seeds from the bases of grass leaf-sheaths. The species is most often seen visiting waterholes in the heat of the day. Calls include a simple chirping “treeep” given repeatedly in flight and on the ground, often betraying its presence.
Red-legged Thrush
Turdus plumbeus
An often conspicuous ground-dwelling species that occurs in a wide variety of habitats from brush and gardens to dense woods. Appearance highly variable across its range but throughout is unique in its blue-tinged gray plumage combined with bright orange-red legs and eyering. Song is typically a series of deliberate whistled couplets. Calls include a variety of squeaks, chucks, and a loud “tsee-up.”
Sumatran Leafbird
Chloropsis media
Uncommon and declining Sumatran endemic, restricted to foothill forest at 600-1000 meters. A typical leafbird, with a predominantly bright green body in both sexes. Male has a dark “half-mask” and throat, as well as a dark purplish-blue malar stripe. Female has a faint sky-blue malar stripe, but otherwise lacks dark coloration on her face. Both sexes have a yellow forecrown and a blue shoulder patch. Juvenile is unmarked green all over, with a faint yellow eyering. Compare with Greater Green Leafbird, Lesser Green Leafbird, and Blue-winged Leafbird, none of which have a yellow forecrown. Loud, musical song incorporates mimicry.
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