primary pattern in "eastern" michahellis
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 1:02 pm
hi,
first of all, most ad YLG from the breeding population black sea and bucharest do look like the average western mediterranean michahellis with nice round and smallish p9, a subterminal on p10 and shortish to medium short p10 ventral tongues - usually not more than 1/2 of visible length of p10. but have a look at this adult - black sea romanian border to bulgaria 22.6.2008 (pic by joszef szabo jun): the tongue is pretty long (at least 1/2 of visible p10) and vertically cut towards the black portion, like in many caspians. that's why i asked myself if the 2nd attached bird which i used to serv as a "thayeri" caspian could not in fact present a very extreme YLG, possibly of hybrid origin??? it has bright yellow legs (greenish tone is present in all pics from that series in ad YLG) and very pale irises.
have you ever encountered a western bird with a tongue like in bird 1?
and, talking about bird 2: of course i know that caspian gulls can have rel bright yellow legs and very pale irises (and it is taken in june) and usually such a pattern eliminates any micha - but, who knows what really happens in those populations? ylg regularly breed on the crimea, where closeby the largest caspian (ponticus) colonies are found.
cheers,
lou
first of all, most ad YLG from the breeding population black sea and bucharest do look like the average western mediterranean michahellis with nice round and smallish p9, a subterminal on p10 and shortish to medium short p10 ventral tongues - usually not more than 1/2 of visible length of p10. but have a look at this adult - black sea romanian border to bulgaria 22.6.2008 (pic by joszef szabo jun): the tongue is pretty long (at least 1/2 of visible p10) and vertically cut towards the black portion, like in many caspians. that's why i asked myself if the 2nd attached bird which i used to serv as a "thayeri" caspian could not in fact present a very extreme YLG, possibly of hybrid origin??? it has bright yellow legs (greenish tone is present in all pics from that series in ad YLG) and very pale irises.
have you ever encountered a western bird with a tongue like in bird 1?
and, talking about bird 2: of course i know that caspian gulls can have rel bright yellow legs and very pale irises (and it is taken in june) and usually such a pattern eliminates any micha - but, who knows what really happens in those populations? ylg regularly breed on the crimea, where closeby the largest caspian (ponticus) colonies are found.
cheers,
lou