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adult gull danube delta (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter lou salomon
- Start date
shrikebirder
Well-known member
Larus Argentus (Herring Gull)
Cristian Mihai
Cristian Mihai
Hybrid Caspian X Herring 8-P8-P8-P
JANJ
Well-known member
Slightly odd for a Caspian, yellowish orbital ring - wing pattern and bill size/shape.
Whether this is a Caspian x Herring Gull or a pure is difficult to say. It´s not a Herring Gull , see the wing tip pattern with broad dark mark on p5 and a dark mark on outer web of p4, so remains to consider the hybrid theory.
JanJ
Whether this is a Caspian x Herring Gull or a pure is difficult to say. It´s not a Herring Gull , see the wing tip pattern with broad dark mark on p5 and a dark mark on outer web of p4, so remains to consider the hybrid theory.
JanJ
lou salomon
the birdonist
that's exactly why i posted it. such a small p9 mirror(!) and black down to p4 (not too rare in 'ponticus' though) inspired me to think of more eastern origin, maybe not really caspian population which usually has a broad p10 suberminal mark.
the other hybrid combination: michahellis x cachinnans run through my mind as well (seeing the little p9 mirror, bill and head shape & pale iris). well, we don't know it o
edit: have a look at this similarly strange bird photographed by cristian mihai recently in bucharest:
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=181766&d=1234648397
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=181767&d=1234648403
dark eyed yellow-legged or large-eyed (4-5cy) caspian? (and after you've pondered over it - this is what jan (#805) and me (#801 & #809) already said about it: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=100197&page=41
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lou salomon
the birdonist
heads of adult alternate caspian
most pics available on the net show adult caspians in wintertime, when they visit western europe and most show a dark subterminal band on bill.
this is a short series of heads of male caspians from the danube delta in spring time (alternate plumage, febr-june). no dark winter subterminal band, most males with paler iris and a huge bill, often also with a 'hanging' gonys angle. no. 3 is a subadult (4cy may). all are crops of pics by daniel petrescu, whole birds visible soon on a website on romanian gulls.
most pics available on the net show adult caspians in wintertime, when they visit western europe and most show a dark subterminal band on bill.
this is a short series of heads of male caspians from the danube delta in spring time (alternate plumage, febr-june). no dark winter subterminal band, most males with paler iris and a huge bill, often also with a 'hanging' gonys angle. no. 3 is a subadult (4cy may). all are crops of pics by daniel petrescu, whole birds visible soon on a website on romanian gulls.
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lou salomon
the birdonist
and some more to compare. note that some have the red orbital extended as bare skin in front of the eye which is said to be a michahellis feature. in pic 8 i think i see some reddish hue on upper mandible also. 9th pic by me, 10th pic by florian andronache showing a pair - obviously who's who! all from danube delta.
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