lusitanius Yellow-legged Gull

(last update: 10-12-2013 )

Coordinators:
Gabriel Martín
Antonio Gutierrez
Rui Caratão
Mars Muusse

Index ORG

michahellis
atlantis
ring projects
PDF's

lusitanius 1cy June
lusitanius 1cy July
lusitanius 1cy Aug
lusitanius 1cy Sept
lusitanius 1cy Oct
lusitanius 1cy Nov
lusitanius 1cy Dec

lusitanius 2cy Jan
lusitanius 2cy Feb
lusitanius 2cy March
lusitanius 2cy April
lusitanius 2cy May
lusitanius 2cy June
lusitanius 2cy July
lusitanius 2cy Aug
lusitanius 2cy Sept
lusitanius 2cy Oct
lusitanius 2cy Nov
lusitanius 2cy Dec

lusitanius 3cy Jan
lusitanius 3cy Feb
lusitanius 3cy March
lusitanius 3cy April
lusitanius 3cy May
lusitanius 3cy June
lusitanius 3cy July
lusitanius 3cy Aug
lusitanius 3cy Sept
lusitanius 3cy Oct
lusitanius 3cy Nov
lusitanius 3cy Dec

lusitanius 4cy Jan
lusitanius 4cy Feb
lusitanius 4cy March
lusitanius 4cy April
lusitanius 4cy May
lusitanius 4cy June
lusitanius 4cy July
lusitanius 4cy Aug
lusitanius 4cy Sept
lusitanius 4cy Oct
lusitanius 4cy Nov
lusitanius 4cy Dec

lusitanius adult Jan
lusitanius adult Feb
lusitanius adult March
lusitanius adult April
lusitanius adult May
lusitanius adult June
lusitanius adult July
lusitanius adult Aug
lusitanius adult Sept
lusitanius adult Oct
lusitanius adult Nov
lusitanius adult Dec

adult: November

Below you find a translation of the article "LE GOELAND ARGENTE PORTUGAIS (Larus argentatus lusitanius), NOUVELLE FORME DE GOELAND ARGENTE A PATTES JAUNES" by C. Joiris.

"I" in the text below refers to the original author C. Joiris. The text has been translated with most care, but if any errors occur, please let me know and mail to marsmuusseatgmaildotcom.

THE PORTUGUESE HERRING GULL (Larus argentatus lusitanius),
NEW FORM OF HERRING GULL WITH YELLOW LEGS

by C. JOIRIS

IN: AVES, 15 (1978): 17-18

According to current literature, Herring Gulls we observe on the Iberian peninsular are mainly Larus argentatus michahellis, characterized by the yellow legs, moderately dark upperparts (darker than L. a. argentatus >with pink legs) and the larger size than the nominate form. These birds can be found in Spain, Portugal, the Mediterranean Sea east to the Balkans. Another form, L. a. atlantis, in size comparable to L. a. argentatus, is much darker on mantle and also has yellow legs; it occupies the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands and maybe this form also occurs on the Atlantic coast of Morocco (Dementev et al., 1969; Fisher and Lockley, 1954; Vaurie, 1965; Witherby et al., 1941). It should be noted that, according to Fisher and Lockley, Portugal is occupied by atlantis and Vaurie indicates that the birds of Morocco are clearly different from atlantis, in fact much closer to Mediterranean michahellis.

On January 27 1976, near Peniche (Portugal, 75 km N-NW of Lisbon), my attention was attracted by several groups of Herring Gull (over 200 birds in total) with yellow legs. In one group there were three sub-adults with pink legs, grey upperparts, and oibvious black streaking on head and neck and with quite dark lores, which I first identified as L. a. argentatus. After direct comparison on the characteristics of Yellow-legged Gulls, the difference was even more obvious: significantly smaller in size and the upperparts appeared more silvery grey (pearl grey). The head and neck of the adults were immaculate white, and the legs saturated yellow. The immature birds had the underside pale beige, the back clearly marked with transversal bars, a clean head with only very dark lores.

It is striking that this description does not correspond to the literature of adult L. a. michahellis, mainly on size, nor does it fit L. a. atlantis, because of the pale color of the upperparts. These observations seem to be sufficient to consider that the Atlantic coast of Portugal is occupied by yet another form, which we propose to call Larus argentatus lusitanius. It seems likely that this form is also commonly found in Morocco; which places this form between atlantis and michahellis, both in characteristics and in its distribution.

The habitat frequented by these Yellow-legged Gulls consists of steep rocky cliffs on the coast, on islands, and on inaccessible rocks near the coast. The ecological separating of these birds from British Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Larus fuscus graellsii), also present in the area by thousands, frequenting beaches, estuaries and sewage outlets, is straightforward: Lesser Black-backed Gulls do not breed on such steep cliffs. Herring Gulls breed on cliffs frequently, but have not been observed here.

REFERENCES

DEMENTEV, G.P., GLADKOV, N.A. and SPANGENBERG, E.P (1969): Birds of the Soviet Union, volume III. Translated from Russian. Jerusalem.

FISHER, J. and LOCHLEY, R.M. (1954): Sea-birds. London.

VAURIE, C. (1965): The birds of the palearctic fauna. Non-passeiformes. London.

WHITERBY, H.F., JOURDAIN, F.C.R., TICEHURST, N.F. and TUCKER, B.W. (l94l): The Handbook of British Birds, volume V. London.