nominate Lesser Black-backed Gull (L. f. fuscus)

(last update: 14-11-2009)

Larus fuscus fuscus adult, August 04 2002, Stockholm, Sweden.

The centre of Stockholm holds about 500 fuscus Lesser Black-backed Gulls, someone feeding the gulls often told me. However, they may be very wary and sometimes not easy to approach. A small group of a few tens was easily attracted by bread and could be photographed within a distance of 5 meters, together with argentatus Herring Gulls. The quays of the "old town" are the best bet, but a few small islands in front of the SiljaLine terminal was used as resting-place and may be a good opportunity too. Fuscus is a flamboyant flying gull, very maneuverable and an air-acrobat in catch bread in flight or tipping it off from the water surface.

The image below shows an adult with sub-adult and adult Herring Gull.