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Gull Yellow legs UK (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Chris Oates
- Start date
Gentoo
Guest
I am horrible at European Gulls but I'll give this a shot and say it looks like a yellow legged Herring Gull to me. The orbital ring, while not well exposed in this shot, looks like it might be orange rather than red which I believe one would expect from a Yellow-Legged Gull. Mantel looks paler than Yellow Legged as well.
This is JanJ and lou territory. Any open wing shots?
This is JanJ and lou territory. Any open wing shots?
Hi Chris, Herring Gulls with yellow legs are not unusual, if you visit Portland Bill (Dorset) they are a common sight. I think the Gulls carry a gene that codes for an enzyme that express in the legs allowing the carotenoids to accumulate and produce the yellow colour.
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lou salomon
the birdonist
hi chris,
like gentoo and qingcol said, this is a herring gull with yellow legs, probably a local argenteus with that pale mantle. yellow-legged gull (michahellis) has a different body structure (more pronunced breast, longer wings etc), a red orbital ring, smaller white primary tips and usually longer legs. primary pattern with more black in YLG.
like gentoo and qingcol said, this is a herring gull with yellow legs, probably a local argenteus with that pale mantle. yellow-legged gull (michahellis) has a different body structure (more pronunced breast, longer wings etc), a red orbital ring, smaller white primary tips and usually longer legs. primary pattern with more black in YLG.
camelbirder
Well-known member
I saw one of these gulls on the Hayle Est. on March 23rd. It was in a flock gulls and apart from its leg colour everything else pointed to Herring Gull. The leg colour actually shone like a Lesser Black Backed Gull's legs and although the flock was a long way off, the legs could be seen with just your eyes.
Chris Oates
Why does a Black-headed Gull have a brown head...
Thanks chaps - these two are inseparable - both are mature but one is still begging the other for regurgitated food which it goes though the motions of doing but never produces any - very tolerant behaviour.
