Month: January 2013

Species: Larus schistisagus English Name: Slaty-backed Gull Chinese Name: 灰背鷗 Family: Laridae Description: The Slaty-backed Gull has 55-67 cm in length, much bigger than Heuglin’s Gull. Macao is usually visited by first-winter birds, which have grayish-brown plumage, dark tail, black bill and pinkish legs and feet. Adults are mainly white with dark grey wings and dark tail. The bill…

Species: Larus heuglini English Name: Heuglin’s Gull Chinese Name: 烏灰銀鷗 Family: Laridae Description: This large gull (51-65 cm) has yellow feet and legs and a yellow bill with a red spot. The adults plumage is mainly white with grey or brown streaks on head and neck. The wings are dark grey with black outer primaries and white  tips. Heuglin’s…

Species: Larus canus English Name: Mew Gull Chinese Name: 海鷗 Family: Laridae Description: The Mew Gull adults have 40-46 cm in length and can be distinguished from Black-tailed Gull by is rounded head and shorted bill. Macao is usually visited by first-winter birds (from January to March). They have a yellow bill with a black tip, pinkish legs and…

Species: Larus crassirostris English Name: Black-tailed Gull Chinese Name: 黑尾鷗 Family: Laridae Description: This medium-sized gull (44-48 cm) has yellow legs, yellow bill with a black and red tip. Adults are white on head and underparts with grey wings contrasting with the black tail. The first winter birds, that usually occur in Macao, have pale brown tones plumage and…

Species: Larus ridibundus English Name: Black-headed Gull Chinese Name: 紅嘴鷗 Family: Laridae Description: The Black-headed Gull is a small gull (37-43 cm in length) with red feets and leg and a red bill with black tip. The winter plumage is mainly white with a dark spot behind the eye and whitish-grey wings with black tips. In the breeding season…

Species: Calidris alpina English Name: Dunlin Chinese Name: 黑腹濱鷸 Family: Scolopacidae Description: The Dunlin has 16-22 cm in length, black, slightly decurved bill and dark grey legs and feet. The winter plumage is mainly grey above and white below. The breeding plumage have a distinctive black belly, rufous tones on the upperparts and white supercilium. It is a winter…

Species: Calidris ferruginea English Name: Curlew Sandpiper Chinese Name: 彎嘴濱鷸 Family: Scolopacidae Description: The Curlew Sandpiper is a small wader (18-23 cm) with a long, down-curved, black bill and black legs and feet. The plumage is pale grey upperparts and white-grayish underparts. In the summer, the plumage is chestnut on the head, neck and breast. It occurs in Macao…

Species: Calidris ruficollis English Name: Red-necked Stint Chinese Name: 紅頸濱鷸 Family: Scolopacidae Description: This small wader (13-16 cm) has a short black bill and short, black legs and feet. In the winter, the plumage is grey upperparts and white underparts. In the summer they have orange cheeks, throat and upper breast, and brown-rufous patterns above. It visits Macao in…

Species: Calidris alba English Name: Sanderling Chinese Name: 三趾濱鷸 Family: Scolopacidae Description: The Sanderling is a small wader with 20-21 cm in length. He has a short, stout, black bill and black legs and feet. The plumage is grey above and white below. The summer plumage has orange tones on the face, breast and wings. It occurs in Macao…

Species: Calidris canutus English Name: Red Knot Chinese Name: 紅腹濱鷸 Family: Scolopacidae Description: The red knot has 23-25 cm in length, a short black bill and short black legs and feet. The winter plumage is grey on the upperparts and white-grey on the underparts. In the summer, plumage become chestnut on the face, throat and breast. It has been…