Larus cachinnans

(last update: February 16, 2013)

Coordinator:
Greg Neubauer
Marcin Przymencki
Albert de Jong
Mars Muusse

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cachinnans plumages

Larus cachinnans hybrid 5CY female 6P01 April 26 2008, Włocławek Reservoir, central Poland. Picture: Grzegorz Neubauer.

5CY female backcross hybrid Caspian x Herring Gull (right), Wloclawek, central Poland, April 26 2008. Mother Herring, father hybrid Caspian x Herring. Ringed as chick in Wloclawek on May 09 2004. Paired with male Caspian. Although the plumage is not fully adult yet (note the brown-spotted wing-coverts), its iris is non-spotted and the eye-ring yellow, both matching Herring Gull. As in other backcrosses, hybrid origin is hardly detectable in the field (evident only in the bill, which is slimmer than usual for Herring). Its alert stance makes it look long-necked and small-headed.