Request to "Watch out for Wing-tagged Mongolian Gulls"
Andreas Buchheim
In spring 2004 a German team of ornithologists ringed and wing-tagged a total of 170 adult (including a few subadults) Mongolian Gulls Larus mongolicus in north-eastern Mongolia.
The major aim of this activity was to get information about migration routes and wintering grounds of this little-known taxon. Each bird was ringed with a metal band (issued by the German ’Helgoland Ringing Centre’) on its right tibia. To ensure specific and individual recognition the birds were additionally fitted with white wing tags showing an individual black four-character-code: the upper row consisting of two capital letters and the lower row of a two-digit number.
Photos © Alfons Pennekamp
Birders searching for "large white-headed gulls" along the Asian coasts might encounter such birds (check the area between the front-scapulars and the wing-bend; tags can be read from distances of up to 300m with a spotting scope).
UPDATE February 2006:
On February 02 2006, a wing-tagged adult Mongolian Gull, with the code AA 63 was found and photographed on the Nakdong estuary. The photographs show how easily the wing tags can be seen by birders.
Wing-tagged Mongolian Gull, Photos © Nial Moores
Spread wing of AA63: photographed at the breeding colony on May 24th 2004.
Assumed to be a sub-adult. © Thomas Langenberg
Map drawing line between where AA63 was flagged and where it was found in Korea.
Map © Andreas Buchheim
UPDATE November 2007:
A wing tagged Mongolian Gull with the tag id AB48 was seen and photographed on November 11th 2007 in Hongsong Chungnam province. Exact coordinates are: 36°32'01.63"N 126°28'47.17"E.
Mongolian Gull Larus mongolicus Photo © Kim Hyun-tae
Mongolian Gull Larus mongolicus Photos © Kim Hyun-tae
UPDATE February 2009:
The wing tagged Mongolian Gull with the tag id AB48 already photographed in November 2007 was seen and photographed again on January 25th 2009 in Hongsong Chungnam province. Exact coordinates are: 36°32'01.63"N 126°28'47.17"E.
| Country | Code | Metalring Helgoland | Date | Locality | Coordinates | Notes |
| Mongolia | AB48 | 4059948 | 27.05.2004 | Khökh Nuur | 49°32' N, 115°31' E | ringed as 4th winter |
| South Korea | | | 23.03.2006 | Gung-ri, Hongsu | 36°35' N, 126°27' E | photographed |
| South Korea | | | 11.11.2007 | Hongsong, Chungnam Prov. | 36°32' N, 126°28' E | photographed |
| South Korea | | | 25.01.2009 | Hongsong, Chungnam Prov. | 36°32' N, 126°28' E | photographed |
A wing tagged Mongolian Gull with the tag id AG33 was seen and photographed on January 1st 2009 at the Geum River near Gunsan. Coordinates are: 35°59' N 126°44' E.
Mongolian Gull Larus mongolicus, Photo © Nial Moores
Map drawing line between where AG33 was flagged and where it was found in Korea. Map © Andreas Buchheim
Spread wing of AG33
| Country | Code | Metalring Helgoland | Metalring Moscow | Date | Locality | Coordinates | Notes |
| Russia | AG33 | N007633 | C435633 | 29.05.2008 | Lake Baikal, Maloye More Island | 53°04' N, 106°50' E | ringed as ad. |
| South Korea | | | | 01.01.2009 | Geum River near Gunsan | 35°59' N, 126°44' E | photographed |
If you come across one of those gulls please record all relevant details (date, site name, number on wing tag, number of other gulls present etc) and send the information to my e-mail:
abu.cachellis@web.de AND sightings@birdskorea.org
You will receive all relevant data on your bird in return. Thanks.
