LabradorDuck
Well-known member
If they ever decide to lump all the large white-headed gull, I suggest the common name "Seagull," just to troll the pedants.
But why "Seagull,", with a comma in the name? Why not just "Seagull", as-is? Most people would have trouble remembering to add the comma anyway.If they ever decide to lump all the large white-headed gull, I suggest the common name "Seagull," just to troll the pedants.
But why "Seagull,", with a comma in the name? Why not just "Seagull", as-is? Most people would have trouble remembering to add the comma anyway.
The name of the type species of the genus is of course Larus marinus
BILL ODDIE'S Little Black Bird Book...Jonathan Livingstone Seagull
... I mean, no half-serious bird-watcher could enjoy (let alone write!) a book called, with offensive imprecision, Jonathan Livingston-Seagull... You write me Jonathan Livingston-Second Winter Lesser Black-backed Gull and I might get off on it.
Originally split by Schodde et al 1983, Sibley & Monroe 1990, Burger & Gochfeld 1996, and Given et al 2005, but now lumped by H&M4, HBW Alive, Gill et al 2010.
IOC World Bird List v5.3 (Draft).IOC proposing to lump Red-billed Gull with Silver Gull
http://www.worldbirdnames.org/updates/proposed-splits/
2015 May 8: Lump Red-billed Gull w Silver Gull
Forthcoming...Sternkopf 2011. Molekulargenetische Untersuchung in der Gruppe der Möwen (Laridae) zur Erforschung der Verwandtschaftsbeziehungen und phylogeographischer Differenzierung – Molecular Analysis in sea gulls (Laridae) to reveal genetically relationship and phylogeographic differentiation. Dissertation. [abstract] [pdf] [Vogelwarte 49(3): 175-177.]
Suggests treatment of Larus [canus] brachyrhynchus as a distinct species.
[L brachyrhynchus 'Mew Gull' is recognised as a species by Malling Olsen & Larsson 2003/2004 (Gulls).]
Re common names, surely it would be preferable in this case (in the interests of stability/continuity) to recognise Common Gull L [c] canus and Mew Gull L [c] brachyrhynchus - thereby preserving the well-established Old/New World vernacular names (cf Common/Black & Velvet/White-winged Scoters, Kentish/Snowy Plovers, Hen/Northern Harriers).... Based on the findings the taxonomy is discussed as well, and species status is proposed for brachyrhynchus (Short-billed Gull).
Adriaens & Gibbins 2016. Dutch Birding 38(1): 1–64.Forthcoming...
Adriaens & Gibbins 2016. Identification of the Larus canus complex. Dutch Birding 38(1).
[Perhaps a little surprising that the proposed split isn't immediately adopted by Redactie Dutch Birding 2016 (Dutch Birding 38(2) – also received today).]As we have shown in this paper, brachyrhynchus is a morphologically distinct taxon; we believe that it should be possible to identify every individual in the field, of any age group, using a combination of plumage features, size and structure. Its display calls are different from those of the other taxa, and it is genetically distinct [Zink et al (1995), Sternkopf (2011)]. It is also geographically isolated. In conclusion, our data support the status of brachyrhynchus as a full species, a treatment indeed already adopted by some authorities (Sibley & Monroe 1997, Olsen & Larsson 2003).
Historically, this would be all wrong, however.Re common names, surely it would be preferable in this case (in the interests of stability/continuity) to recognise Common Gull L [c] canus and Mew Gull L [c] brachyrhynchus - thereby preserving the well-established Old/New World vernacular names (cf Common/Black & Velvet/White-winged Scoters, Kentish/Snowy Plovers, Hen/Northern Harriers).
A good point, Laurent. Summarised here: darwiniana.org/zoo/AOUc.htm#Gulls.Mew Gull is a name that was coined in the American literature to denote vagrant Larus canus from the East coast (which obviously could not be "common" from an American viewpoint), back in a time when Short-billed Gull was treated as specifically distinct (see e.g. the 3rd ed. of the AOU check-list). Then (about a century ago), the West Coast taxon was downgraded to the status of a subspecies of Mew Gull and, as a result, it "lost its name".
...an illustration of how common names are often easily confused.From the American point of view, what's happening is that Mew Gull (s. lato) is being split into Mew Gull (Western North America) and Short-billed Gull (European vagrants to Eastern North America)
You probably wouldn't have any confusion in today's data.
Confusion would be most likely to happen when today's birders will be confronted to the old literature, where Mew Gull (sensu stricto) is used consistently in a sense that excludes the Western North American taxon.
Birders delve into old literature much more often today than 15 years ago (when most of it was still confined to libraries), I would say. Why would you decide to set up pitfalls...?How often do birders delve into old literature? This seems a problem for researchers, who of course will be familiar enough with this issue to avoid the pitfalls
Birders delve into old literature much more often today than 15 years ago (when most of it was still confined to libraries), I would say. Why would you decide to set up pitfalls...?