Albatross-like bird on the Jersey CIty pier

[Stan]

Hi all,

Today i saw this unusual bird for our shores among regular seagulls. It had a fishing net wrapped around its neck and leg. I've caught it and cut the net but it bite me with a little bleeding scratch. Just want to make sure:

1) What kind of bird is it?

2) Is my scratch dangerous?

 

Thanks,

Stan

[Jerry Friedman]

Welcome to Whatbird!  The picture didn't come through.  In my opinion the best method is to upload it to a hosting site such as Flickr or Imgur and post the link here.

I'm not a doctor, but I'd always put disinfectant on any bite or scratch from a wild animal that causes bleeding, especially if the animal eats meat or fish.  They're likely to have bacteria on their beaks, claws, etc.

[Charlie Spencer]

Welcome!  Great job getting the bird untangled.

I'm also unable to view the pictures.  Depending on the file size, sometimes you can paste them directly into your post.

Not only am I not a doctor, I've never played one on TV.

 

[Stan]

Sorry. I will repost images:

[Melierax]

This is a gull. I believe herring and great black-backed are the most common over there, but I'm no good with gulls, especially not eastern ones.

[Stan]

8 minutes ago, Melierax said:

This is a gull. I believe herring and great black-backed are the most common over there, but I'm no good with gulls, especially not eastern ones.

It was at least twice bigger than average gulls there.

[Melierax]

2 minutes ago, Stan said:

It was at least twice bigger than average gulls there.

Well, Herring and Great Black-backed are much larger than your average Ring-billed Gull. Albatrosses have monster bills and a much different overall shape. I'm just spouting off as far as specific species go, but it's definitely a gull.

[akiley]

That's a fresh juvenile Herring Gull.

[akiley]

No albatross would be found on a dock, and any albatross is nearly unheard of anywhere on the east coast. It's important to remember that size is variable in birds, by age, sex, subspecies, individual variation, etc. We often get questions here of "It looked like x bird but was so much bigger", when the photos confirm that it is x species, no question. Size is hard to judge and variable. Not all that useful in many bird identifications to be honest. 

[akiley]

And thank you for helping this guy get out of the fishing line. I don't see any photos of a cut and I don't know if anyone here would be able to give you advice on that. Personally I wouldn't worry too much. 

[Creeker]

I've been bit, scratched,  clawed, and punctured by many species of birds. Mostly Raptors, but some water birds as well. The worst thing that happened was a simple infection.  Usually nothing happens.

[Charlie Spencer]

All of which just assures you'll come down with the world's first case of avian rabies.  

[lonestranger]

3 hours ago, Charlie Spencer said:

All of which just assures you'll come down with the world's first case of avian rabies.  

Sounds like you've got a new version of Murphy's Law book.  

[Jerry Friedman]

11 hours ago, Creeker said:

I've been bit, scratched,  clawed, and punctured by many species of birds. Mostly Raptors, but some water birds as well. The worst thing that happened was a simple infection.  Usually nothing happens.

100% of the one time a friend of mine got bitten by a cormorant, he got an annoying infection.  I was partly going by that.  I'm glad to know the odds aren't so bad, but the chance of a simple infection would still induce me to use antibiotic cream or something.