Hybrid Ring-billed Gull / Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Posted: 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.)
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.)