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ID this gull? (1 Viewer)

But it's a Common Gull.
I'm not sure a phrase like 'dead ringer' is appropriate on a Bird Forum - you might upset the "Robin Strokers" ;)
 
AHHH! I fell into the age old Common/Ring-billed trap! Yes, that bill isn't nearly heavy enough. More haste less speed.

Apologies to the robin stroking/bunny hugging brigade in advance.
 
CJW said:
But it's a Common Gull.
I'm not sure a phrase like 'dead ringer' is appropriate on a Bird Forum - you might upset the "Robin Strokers" ;)

Which is the conclusion I came to because of the not very broad band on the not very heavy bill. However, the pale iris bugged me. I know Common sometimes can be a pale brown but this is distinctly pale. The legs are very yellow too. However, I believe it is a Common Gull.
 
I'd say a live ringer for Common Gull. The black smudge on the bill is normal for winter Commons, and the bill shape/thickness is spot on for Common.

True the iris is well, er, blue, but I'd say overall it still looks dark enough for CG.

This gull also appears to be highly radioactive, to judge by the blue halo of Cherenkov radiation around it . . .

Michael
 
Michael Frankis said:
True the iris is well, er, blue, but I'd say overall it still looks dark enough for CG.

The photo clearly shows a pale iris rather than a dark iris. What it doesn't show is the it was an off-white colour (i.e. like a RBG). The quality of the photo (over exposure, lighting conditions etc) detracts from this a little. The rest of the bird looks like a Common though which is indeed what it is! Interesting though.
 
This may be only the second or third time a pale eyed Common Gull has been photographed in Europe, so very interesting.

Spud
 
I think the prominent tertial fringes give it away as Common. From a different angle you could have convinced me it was Ring-billed.
 
Has anyone ever seen a hybrid Common X Ring-billed?

I have often thought that they must occur. The number of returning Ring-bills in Britain that push off with the Commons in Spring must move up to the Common Gull breeding grounds. If one of those birds bred with a Common it would produce a bird with characteristics of both species.

I can only find one reference to a possible bird - a first winter in Birding World v5 p312-313 1992

Darrell
 
Hi Darrell,

I wouldn't be at all surprised if one gets found sooner or later, tho' I don't see it in this bird - apart from the blue eye, I don't see a single Ring-built feature in it

Unless of course the two species have such completely different display routines that they don't fancy the idea. But if BHGs can with Meds, then why not CGs with RBGs??

Anyone know of any records of Mew x Ring-bill in Canada? — their ranges overlap in Alberta

Michael
 
Hi Michael, I agree that this is a Common, it just set me wondering about hybrids. There is a fantastic website www.bird-hybrids.com that gives references to papers on hybrid birds. Did you know that there is a recorded instance of Black-headed Gull X Ring-billed Gull?

Darrell
 
Gurk!!! What a list! Black-headed x Ring-billed is far from the worst, how about Grey-headed x Herring? (or, in captivity, Black-headed x Herring!)

Michael
 
I occasionally see birds like this - like 1 in 50,000 and I wonder each time if they might be Mew Gulls. Any thoughts, presumably they must turn up in Europe?
 
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