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Hi,

Yesterday this bird made me a bit confused at the Barneveld dump. The head, mantle colour as well as the primary pattern are looking good for cachinnans.
However, the heavy and yellow bill was pointing to michahellis. Cachinnans, michahellis or something between it? ...Lou?

Hi Albert,
such a powerfoul bill isn't unexpected in strong Caspian males.
I have posted in other topic some photos of large billed males from Poland.

In subject of large billed Caspian males please take a look at these two pictures:
http://forum.przyroda.org/download.htm?id=53622
http://forum.przyroda.org/download.htm?id=53621
both birds are from breeding colony in SE Poland.

Michal

michal rycak wrote:Hi Albert,
such a powerfoul bill isn't unexpected in strong Caspian males.
I have posted in other topic some photos of large billed males from Poland.

In subject of large billed Caspian males please take a look at these two pictures:
http://forum.przyroda.org/download.htm?id=53622
http://forum.przyroda.org/download.htm?id=53621
both birds are from breeding colony in SE Poland.

Michal

hi,

as michal said. male caspians can have even more powerfull bills. since it got early spring, like other LWHGs also cachinnans get a fully yellow bill (many even by beginning of february), this is part of so called alternate ("breeding") plumage when sexual hormones trigger the coloration of bare parts. legs also get more yellow in caspian gull by now.

see this bill! photo by fabian schneider from swizzerland made in sfantu gheorghe, danube delta.

cheers

Thank you.
May be I see too less cachinnans in spring!