09 He aha tērā? Black-backed Gull
You see these large birds at the beach, or maybe flocking around a fishing boat, or perhaps inland. The adults are black and white; the juveniles speckled brown. He aha tērā? What is that?
Photo by Miraz Jordan. Used with permission.
Answer: it’s a kororo, black-backed gull:
Identification: Length: 60 cm; Weight: 1.0 kg
Similar species: Subantarctic skua
A large black-and-white gull with a white head and underparts, black back, yellow bill with a red spot near the tip, and pale green legs. Juveniles are dark mottled brown with black bill and legs; their plumage lightens with age until they moult into adult plumage at 3-years-old.
