Gulls of the World: A Photographic Guide

Gulls are a group of birds that are often relatively neglected by birders, yet the allure of some of the more beautiful members of this group is undeniable. I will certainly not forget the adrenalin rush experienced when running along a shingle beach in Dorset to see my first Ivory Gull, or the pure joy of seeing my first adult plumage Ross’s Gull. These species are not only alluring, but relatively easy to recognise. In contrast, there are many confusing taxa, especially amongst the large gull species, for which identification requires considerable study and knowledge. This knowledge is not so easy to acquire, and many field guides are unable to include sufficient details to identify every gull encountered. Gulls of the World: A Photographic Guide bridges that gap, in a very comprehensive way, although it is not likely to be carried into the field by most birders.

Klaus Malling Olsen, one of the world’s acknowledged gull experts, published his first book on gulls in 2004, the Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. That book was illustrated by Hans Larsson. It was an outstanding piece of work, and well-received, but considerably larger than the present book with 608 versus 368 pages, despite this new book covering more taxa (61 compared to 43). This latest book by Olsen covers all of the world’s gull species, but instead of paintings, he has used an incredible selection of photos to document the vast range of plumages exhibited by members of this group. The book could be considered as a photographic companion to the original piece of work, but it is a stand-alone piece of work that can be used as a field guide by gull enthusiasts, or as a meticulously-researched reference book by those who want to sharpen their gull identification skills.

The first part of the book comprises a brief (25 pages), well-illustrated introduction, primarily about the ageing and moult of gulls, distinguishing between so-called 2-year, 3-year, and 4-year gulls, an understanding of which is essential in identification of some species. It includes useful discussion of colour abnormalities, oiling, light effects, bare-part colouration, and hybrids, as well as two pages illustrating the “topography” of gulls. The calendar-year system for aging is used throughout the book, with terms such as “1st year,” “2nd year,” “1st winter,” “1st summer,” etc., which may disappoint some gull enthusiasts, but is probably easier for the majority of readers to understand.

The bulk of the book consists of the “species” accounts, these varying in length from as few as two pages up to 13 pages (including photos). The text in this new photographic guide is relatively succinct, focusing on the main identification points, whilst captions to the photos are also very useful, generally pointing out important identification features. Each account includes information on Identification (generally as it relates to age), Voice, Geographical variation, and a brief section entitled Status, habitat and distribution. Voice descriptions are perhaps a bit short, but the discussions of moult are more detailed in instances where they are deemed important for identification. Discussion of similar species, included where relevant, are very useful in pointing to identification pitfalls and potential confusion species. There is also discussion on hybrids where considered necessary.

Olsen gives six “recognizable forms” separate accounts without elevating them to full species status, these being Steppe, Mongolian, Azores, Baltic, Kamchatka, and Red-billed Gulls, although passing over Taimyr Gull which is included as a subspecies of Heuglin’s Gull. He treats Heuglin’s and Thayer’s Gulls as full species, which is different to some other recent taxonomies. For example, in the 2018 IOC (ver 8.2) bird list both are considered to be subspecies, the former of Lesser Black-backed Gull L. fuscus, and the latter of Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides. Heuglin’s Gull is treated similarly in del Hoyo and Collar (2014) but they also treat Thayer’s Gull as a full species. Also in this photo guide, Mew Gull is treated separate from Common Gull whereas both IOC and Hoyo and Collar (2014) treat these forms (along with Kamchatka Gull) as one species. Herring Gull L. argentatus is also separate from American Herring Gull L. smithsonianus in contrast to some recent lists. Clearly, whichever taxonomy you want to follow, the taxonomic status of these and other taxa is not yet fully settled, so the inclusion of separate accounts for distinctive forms is essential.

Range maps are large and clear, but could have been improved by adding major rivers rather than leaving them completely plain. Distinctive subspecies sometimes have their own separate maps such as for the two subspecies of Common Gulls, canus and heinei, which breed in different areas (although with some intergrades in western Russia) but overlap broadly in their European wintering areas. Another interesting taxon, “Kumlien’s Gull” (L. glaucoides “kumlieni”), also has a separate map, even though it is treated here as a hybrid swarm between Iceland and Thayer’s Gulls. Some maps, however, fail to show the true extent of the known range for certain species and this can be somewhat misleading. This is easily discerned by comparing maps on eBird with those in the book. For example, small numbers of Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis breed further south than depicted in the eastern Mediterranean, Audouin’s Gull Ichthyaetus audouinii is regular in winter along the coast of northwest Africa, Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus is very regular in Taiwan, and Pacific Gull Larus pacificus is regular along the eastern coast of Australia, something that is unclear from the maps in this book (although such occurrence is usually mentioned briefly in the text).

The more than 600 colour photos are the main reason why birders would want this book. These depict all age groups for each species, and also illustrate moulting birds where this is considered important for identification. There are generally more photos of complex species, so whilst Swallow-tailed Gull Creagus furcatus is illustrated with only five photos, Herring Gull has 45 (including photos in the Introduction). The quality of the photos is generally high, the majority of which were chosen to illustrate key features, and are very clearly presented in larger formats. There are no more than five photos per page, with a range in sizes from the occasional stunning half-page photos to medium and smaller images, but even the smallest are almost all of excellent quality. However, unlike in a true field guide, there are very few side-by-side photos enabling comparison of two or more similar species.

Two odd things one might notice about this book are the lack of concise page headers, meaning that you might have to start at the beginning of a species account to know what species you are dealing with on subsequent pages; and a total lack of bibliography at the back of the book. Despite numerous publications being cited at the end of each species account, some as current as 2016, none of these are fully elucidated anywhere in the book. This is surely some kind of oversight, and although anyone with the 2004 book would probably find many of the references there, those from post 2002-3 are not available in either book.

Whether you buy Gulls of the World: A Photographic Guide or not is largely dependent on your interest in improving your field skills. Yes, gulls are often challenging to identify, but this excellent book can help since it contains a significant amount of new knowledge about their identification, is copiously illustrated, and is succinct but clear in its approach to identification. Whilst a little too big to easily carry around, it is clearly designed with field identification in mind, and keeping a copy in your car would be a smart move for anyone who wants an edge in identifying the gulls that they encounter on any local birding trip. For world birders, the illustrations will surely increase your appreciation of the diversity and beauty of this interesting group of birds, and this book will surely surpass most expectations.

– Reviewed by Frank Lambert

del Hoyo, J. and Collar, N.J. 2014. HWB and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Vol 1. Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.