Probable Great Black-backed / Herring Gull Hybrid

richard lowe
Posts:17
Joined:Thu Oct 18, 2012 7:05 pm
Probable Great Black-backed / Herring Gull Hybrid

Post by richard lowe » Mon Dec 10, 2018 5:00 pm

This odd-looking 2cy large gull was seen at Poolsbrook Country Park, Staveley, Derbyshire, England on 6th December 2018. It has the size of a large Herring Gull and structure of a GBBGu but the mantle comprises clear grey adult-type feathers, (similar in shade or slightly paler than the presumed 'argentatus' Herring gulls adjacent); the tail band is solid blackish. I think that a hybrid origin is probable but there seems little in the literature about a Great Black-back / Herring pairing.
Any comments welcome, especially regarding other possible pairings e.g. GBB / Glaucous or GBB / Yellow-legged, as mentioned elsewhere in this forum.
Kind regards to all,
Richard Lowe (Derbyshire, U.K.)
GBB HGu Hybrid 2w Poolsbrook 06 12 2018.jpg
GBB HGu Hybrid 2w Poolsbrook 06 12 2018.jpg (840.56KiB)Viewed 4236 times
Attachments
GBB HGu Hybrid 2W 2 Poolsbrook 06 12 2018.jpg
GBB HGu Hybrid 2W 2 Poolsbrook 06 12 2018.jpg (746.66KiB)Viewed 4236 times
GBB HGu Hybrid 2W 4 Poolsbrook 06 12 2018.jpg
Solid blackish tail band visible here.
GBB HGu Hybrid 2W 4 Poolsbrook 06 12 2018.jpg (628.14KiB)Viewed 4236 times
GBB HGu Hybrid 2W 3 Poolsbrook 06 12 2018.jpg
Note the differing shades of grey on the Herring Gulls adjacent.
GBB HGu Hybrid 2W 3 Poolsbrook 06 12 2018.jpg (630.76KiB)Viewed 4236 times

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