Hi, I have a rather large Gull who comes to me everyday for food. It has a ring on its right leg.
Today I noticed that around it's mouth doesn't look right it's kind of black.
Normally it comes real close to me but today it was hesitant and now I'm worried there's something wrong with it?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Might be better to get a photo and then have a chat with your nearest rescue/rehab centre. It may be ill or it's been in contact with something - please be careful and practice good hygiene for yourself just in case
www.bwrc.org.uk/.../
Cin J
Thank you it wouldn't come close enough tonight for a photo.
Something definitely off. Hopefully it will come back and I can get a photo.
I'd hate to think it's ill.
Many thanks
Morning Claire, as Cin.J says, if you see a sick bird always be careful if touching any areas it has been using and wash hands each time you come back in to be safe, When you mentioned this Gull was ringed, you can send in the Alpha/numeric code and hopefully get back information on the gull whilst also reporting you have seen it but it appears to be ill. The ring used is normally a large Darvic ring which should be easy to read and have a short code on them. HERE'S THE LINK to report the ring and by doing so you can update the ringer on seeing the gull and also receive back information on where it was ringed/age/sex/ and where it has been seen previously.
This takes you straight to the reporting page for gulls; choose large gull if you think it is that big. Good luck.
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Regards, Hazel
Many thanks for your comments. It has co.e back today still more nervous than normal, but the ring is a small silver one and anything on it is the same colour and virtually impossible to read.
I did take a photo though of its mouth to see if anyone thinks there's an issue.
Thanks again,
Claire
From memory, DARVICs can also be colour coded. So the colour of the ring can be as relevant as the code scribed into it.
As long as it is still able to eat; birds are very resilient so hopefully it will be ok. Surprised it only has a silver ring and no Darvic. As you say the silver rings are very hard to read unless the bird is in the hand. The Darvic rings I've seen have a 3 letter/number code on them that are very easy to see and ringers use darvic colour/lettering for their ringing group/ area. I've seen Black-headed Gulls with blue darvic with white lettering and also black darvic with white lettering. Pity your bird doesn't have a Darvic as it is so interesting to get the information back on the bird. Wondering if your bird is a Herring Gull but I'm no expert.
Yes that what I thought also, a herring gull. He/she is rather large in comparison to others I see around.
I will keep my eye on it and hopefully it doesn't get any worse.
Many thanks,