Ring-billed Gull, first-winter
Larus delawarensis
Ring-billed Gull · Prospect Park · 1 March 2026
A first-winter Ring-billed Gull mid-stride on the ice, in the mottled brown-and-grey plumage of a bird hatched the previous summer. The tail band - a solid dark bar across an otherwise pale tail - is one of the more reliable marks for ageing a young gull at a glance, along with the pink bill with its black tip. It takes three years to reach the clean grey-and-white of an adult, and the ring around the bill that gives the species its name comes with it.
Birds, insects, plants and other wildlife, mostly from Brooklyn, with some from further afield.
Every photograph comes with notes on what it is.
Selected
Favourite shots. Filter by subject, or .
Places
Everything, by where it was taken.
Species
Larger catalogue of photos organized by species of animal or plant.
Catalogue
Every photograph, newest first. Narrow it by period, place or species; the three work together.
Updates
Coming soon. Sign up at the bottom of the page for updates.