Slender-billed gull, striking at first glance with its long beak, is a medium sized gull.
- Its beak is not actually thinner than that of a black-headed gull but it is longer.
- It is slightly larger in size than a black-headed gull, their legs are also longer they have flat top, thin and long forehead.
- The color of the beak and legs is dark red in adults, which can be seen as black in summer, and red in winter. Beak and legs are yellowish-orange in young gulls.
- Iris color is usually yellowish or whitish, it may appear dark depending on light conditions (iris color of a black-headed gull is always dark)
Front and middle back and shoulder feathers are gray; head, body and tail are white; under-wing feathers are gray. In the first year, a black band is seen on the tail tip, and there are paler brown patterns on the wing than the young black-headed gull.
- The spot (ear spot) that can appear behind the eyes of the winter is lighter than a black-headed gull.
- Under breast and abdomen are pale pink; however, there is little or no pinkness in winter. It is a species that occurs in large flocks throughout the year. During the breeding period, they are found in meadows, grasslands, sweet or bitter lakes and lagoons, marshes near river deltas. They breed in these regions. In winter, they are generally found in shallow shores, lagoons, in fresh water pouring into the sea and in saltpans.
They breed in inland seas and lakes, beaches, islands, sandy shallows, tidal waters, as well as coasts around the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf.
It is found on the coasts of our country in winter.
It is usually seen in winter along the Black Sea coast and it is local.
It also has a scattered distribution on the northern coasts of Europe.
Likewise, it is seen as a resident and winter migrant on the shores of the Caspian Sea.