www.gull-research.org

Hi All,

Can you help us ID these birds. We always thought these to be all LBBG ssp. fuscus, but now I cannot belive that these could be the same ssp. Or maybe this variability is only caused by the abrasion o the feathers or small differences in moulting.
The pictures were taken near to the rubbish-heap of Debrecen, Hungary on 11/20/2010.

Thanks is advance,

Daniel Balla

Welcome to the world of LBBG!
The pale bird with a few new upper scaps is, to me, a textbook fuscus.
Given the fact that both other birds are still fully juvenile on the scaps suggest that they are from the North too.
The darkest bird gives me a intermedius look, but with all 3 not ringed (I guess) it remains just a feeling.
If there were 3 fuscus together, you would suggest a ring, since Risto and mates do a hell of a job to catch them.

So, conclusion, 3 northern birds of which all may be fuscus and all may be intermedius...

Theo

Thank you for your answer Theo. Unfortunately no one of them was ringed.

Daniel

Hello,

both gulls depicted represent the typical LBBg variability. I see thousands of LBBG every year, and none of them is equal.

It's supposed that retarded moult is a clue for a northern origin, but that issue is (up to date for me) not always proved, at least for winter birds in Spain, based on rings recoverings. Many 1cy/2cy birds ringed as intermedius shows a fairly average scapular and covert moult during winter. And, on the other hand, graellsii and (usually) dutch intergrade may have a retarded feather renovation.

Cheers!
Gabi