Yellow legged Gull? (1 Viewer)

[Michał Jaro]

In my opinion, this gull does not fit the Caspian gull at all. The wing covers are uniform, I don't see any bright blurry stripe at the tips of the feathers. So Am I wrong this time too?? help
Yesterday, Poland, Podhale

 

[HH75]

I don't think that this is a Yellow-legged Gull, maybe it's a hybrid Caspian x Herring or could a pure Caspian look like this? Not convinced that it could, so a hybrid seems more likely to me, but I'd love to hear from others more experienced with Caspian than me.

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

I agree with Harry that it probably is a hybrid - I do not get a yellowlegged gull feel here --- but I could be wrong. I am no large gull expert and am not really experienced in hybrids from these three larger gull types (yellowlegged, caspian, herring)- however, already in my location near Braunschweig you see quite some hybrids from this group beside pure caspian , pure herring and a few pure yellowlegged ....And you are in Poland where you have even more of those...

 

[Michał Jaro]

Thanks a lot! I missed your identifications. Ok - I put it in the "difficult to recognize" drawer.

 

[martyrynin]

I'm curious what the reasoning is for this to potentially be a hybrid?
Is hybridisation not rare in gulls?

To me, the pale windows and white tips on the greater primary coverts suggest Caspian gull.
Hopefully I got the terminology right there.
Early first-winter, 1cy?

 

[Michał Jaro]

I can only answer that many times on this forum I have red the opinion that hybridization of large gulls in Poland is not unusual and that many seagulls cannot be clearly identified here.

 

[martyrynin]

I can only answer that many times on this forum I have red the opinion that hybridization of large gulls in Poland is not unusual and that many seagulls cannot be clearly identified here.

That's really interesting!

 

[lou salomon]

I can only answer that many times on this forum I have red the opinion that hybridization of large gulls in Poland is not unusual and that many seagulls cannot be clearly identified here.

That's true. Especially cachinnans x argentatus are quite common hybrids in Poland (and Eastern Germany and Belarus), some of them looking pretty similar to YLGs. I didn't respond to this thread yet since I wasn't sure at all about the ID. Window (pale inner primaries) looks extensive which is bad for YLG and thus I also suspect a 'cactus' hybrid but it's anything else than straightfort (and would need better pics to confirm or infirm).

 

[Michał Jaro]

That's true. Especially cachinnans x argentatus are quite common hybrids in Poland (and Eastern Germany and Belarus), some of them looking pretty similar to YLGs. I didn't respond to this thread yet since I wasn't sure at all about the ID. Window (pale inner primaries) looks extensive which is bad for YLG and thus I also suspect a 'cactus' hybrid but it's anything else than straightfort (and would need better pics to confirm or infirm).

I'm equally grateful for an opinion like this that doesn't give ID - it still means a lot to me