Do common and Brünnich`s Guillemot hybridise? (1 Viewer)

[Andy Hurley]

This photo shows some Guillemots in New Foundland from the breeding season 2011. The left one has a thicker bill, but it doesn't look like a pure breed Brünnich's to me, but it differs from the right hand Common Guillemot.
The bill is different and the feet have a nice mustard pattern to them.

Many thanks

 

[Andy Adcock]

Maybe gender related differences Andy?

This form seems to be referred to as 'Bridled' Guillemot so perhaps it's also racial but I see nothing in the bill shape to suggest any Brunnich's influence?

https://www.bas.ac.uk/blogpost/tracking-seabird-species-in-iceland/

 

[KenM]

Possibly the fire-shortening angle of the bill on the second bird that’s giving that impression?

Cheers

 

[Andy Adcock]

Possibly the fire-shortening angle of the bill on the second bird that’s giving that impression?

Cheers

Can you get insurance cover for that?!

 

[Edward]

Both Common Guillemot in the image but I have seen Common Guillemot and Brünnich's Guillemot copulate in Iceland, not sure what the result was.

 

[KenM]

Can you get insurance cover for that?!

Either my finger is too big! or the typeface too small.:-O

 

[KenM]

Both Common Guillemot in the image but I have seen Common Guillemot and Brünnich's Guillemot copulate in Iceland, not sure what the result was.

Bit of a Brunch....

 

[Andy Hurley]

Thanks everyone, for your quick answers. Yes the bridled Guillemot is not a subspecies AFAIK, but rather an interesting variation that looks like they are wearing spectacles. The reason I asked, is every day I put different species up as a background picture on my desk top. Today's photo is the Common Guillemot, so I used one of the bridled photos that I had.
Thanks for the link Andy. Sounds like they are having fun with their wards!

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

yes they can hybridise and hybrids are fertile

https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/inquiryatqueens/article/view/10626


https://www.researchgate.net/public...k-billed_murre_hybrid_and_a_male_common_murre

even common guillemot and razorbill can hybridize, though this is very rare -and I´d think such hynbrids are probably not fertile

 

[Goneandhopefullyforgotten]

^ Very interesting links.

In "Great Auk Islands" Tim Birkhead mentions a bird seen during his studies in Labrador which he is certain was a hybrid.

I've seen the stripey feet thing on a few Common Guillemots in the UK, both bridled and non bridled. Some have had almost black feet with just faint hints of yellow stripes but at the other extreme I have seen one bird whose feet were mainly yellow with just small black stripes, although with black webs.

 

[Andy Hurley]

Thanks Joern, interesting links!
Thanks Andrea, quite a range of pattern variability. I'll need to search thought my photos for different combinations.

 

[Brian J Small]

a v late response, but what do you make of this bird from 2018 - looks to have mixed features of Coomon and Brunnich's/Thick-billed

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