Yellow-legged Gull (lusitanius)?
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:46 am
Hi,
I recently photographed the gull in the attached images in Dumfries & Galloway (Scotland). To my relatively inexperienced eye the overall structure, bill pattern, gape & orbital ring colouration and primary pattern all fit Yellow-legged Gull pretty well. However this bird seems paler mantled that I would usually expect in michahelis, the leg colouration is more of a washed out yellow in tone and the bird is quite small. Does this bird fit lusitanius or is there some hybrid influence?
Advice greatly appreciated.
Regards
Tristan
I recently photographed the gull in the attached images in Dumfries & Galloway (Scotland). To my relatively inexperienced eye the overall structure, bill pattern, gape & orbital ring colouration and primary pattern all fit Yellow-legged Gull pretty well. However this bird seems paler mantled that I would usually expect in michahelis, the leg colouration is more of a washed out yellow in tone and the bird is quite small. Does this bird fit lusitanius or is there some hybrid influence?
Advice greatly appreciated.
Regards
Tristan