Larus canus heinei?

[Ryszard]

Hi!

Please help ID.
Photos from NW Poland 08.01.2017

Regards!
Ryszard

[marsmuusse]

Hi Ryszard,

Have you subscribed to the magazine Dutch Birding, or can you lay hands on (a copy of) the special edition on Larus canus?
There are key tables included in the article, to score individual birds. Most on wingtip patterns.
Your bird has some nice combinations of features: no obvious white tongue-tips on the P5-P7, a full band on P5 and some black on P4, combined with black on P8 falling short of the primary coverts and obvious head streaking/dark iris/classic greenish bill all of canus.

As the authors state: not all birds can be classified using their article; in my opinion this Polish bird is a nice example of this "in between" group.

[Ryszard]

HiMars

I have magazine DB edition "ID of the L c complex" (my brother subscribes;)

the key fits this bird to the point B4b2a) that is, to heinei.
taking into account other features and especially those that you mentioned , should be for a minimum of 90% heinei.

if you can just accept?

[marsmuusse]

Hi Ryszard,

90% sounds perfect to me! I can live with that.
Mars

[Ryszard]

thanks!