Hybrid Ring-billed Gull / Lesser Black-backed Gull.

richard lowe
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Joined:Thu Oct 18, 2012 7:05 pm
Hybrid Ring-billed Gull / Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Post by richard lowe » Sun Feb 28, 2016 8:16 pm

This interesting bird was present at Albert Village Lake, Leicestershire, England on 24th February 2016. It (or a very similar bird) has been present intermittently in the midlands since Feb 2012, when it was first seen at Priorslee Lake, Shropshire and tentatively identified as a Ring-billed / LBB Gull hybrid. A similar hybrid has also been seen in Spain.
This bird is between Common Gull and LBB Gull in size, with a mantle shade similar to canus (or michahellis) - i.e. much darker than is typical for Ring-billed Gull. The bill shows a neat black band with a suggestion of a red gonys; the eye is pale (whitish) with a red orbital ring; the legs are yellow. Interestingly, the head is unmarked white, whereas in Feb 2012 it was strongly streaked. See video-grab for primary pattern.
In an evening gull-roost situation, this bird could cause some identification headaches!
I would value any opinions or information on this unusual hybrid combination.
Kind regards to you all, Richard Lowe (Derbyshire, England.)
Attachments
RBG LBB Hybrid AVL 24 02 2016 500px.jpg
Showing primary pattern.
RBG LBB Hybrid AVL 24 02 2016 500px.jpg (83.35KiB)Viewed 14584 times
RBG LBB Hybrid AVL 3 24 02 2016 500px.jpg
It was consistently seen in the company of LBB's.
RBG LBB Hybrid AVL 3 24 02 2016 500px.jpg (85.52KiB)Viewed 14584 times
RBG LBB Hybrid AVL 2 24 02 2016 500px.jpg
Note that this shot is over-exposed and the mantle shade is darker than indicated in this pic.
RBG LBB Hybrid AVL 2 24 02 2016 500px.jpg (74.45KiB)Viewed 14584 times

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