hybrid gull, Scarborough, England 20/01/17 (1 Viewer)

[Dean Nicholson]

Anyone fancy sorting parentage out for this one? i guess the default would be LBB x Herring but could the broad band across p5 suggest michahellis influence? eye ring orangey red.....

 

[Dean Nicholson]

couple more....mantle tone shown nicely here

 

[lou salomon]

no YLG in this. it's either the suggested hybrid form (which i'd favour from the jizz of this bird) or a nominate argentatus with yellowish legs. p5 band possible in such individuals but usually the darker mantled ones have a different primary pattern - with less black in wingtip. still, primary projection on the short side for a hybrid LBBG x HG.

 

[Dean Nicholson]

Thanks Lou,

Indeed it was the amount of black on p5 that turned me off the idea of a dark yellow legged tatus... Like you say those dark types tend to have very little if any black on p5... There are of course exeptions.
I can find very little in the litterature describing primary patterns of adult LBB x Herring hybrids although I would imagine there is considerable variation here!

Cheers
Dean

 

[lou salomon]

yes, there is much variation as it is in the parental species. personally i know only about this article which as one of the main traits for hybrids mentiones a broad white tertial edge. however, i don't know how consistant this is: http://www.surfbirds.com/ID Articles/adriaensgulls31203.html