Yellow-legged
Gull - Larus michahellis
(last update: October 08 2013)
Coordinators:
Delfín González
Gabriel Martín
Antonio Gutierrez
Amir Ben Dov
Mars Muusse
Yellow-legged
Gull michahellis 2CY H4J0 January 15 2012, Mannheim, Germany. Picture: Matthias Feuersenger.
Ringing project in Frankfurt a Main, Germany, monitored by local ornithologist Ingo Rösler and yellow rings by Dr. Sönke Martens.
Ringed as pullus in 2011 in rooftop breeding colony on Posthof near Frankfurt Central Station (50.8N, 8,39E). An interesting colony, interesting both in location and in compostion. Three new gull species of breeding birds were added to the list of Hesse in recent years: 2008 - the first pair of Herring Gulls started breeding. Since 2009, a Great Black-backed Gull nested successfully with a Yellow-legged Gull, and in fact this is the first evidence of hybridization of both species at all. In 2013, Caspian Gull (or a Caspian Gull hybrid) was recorded here, which also reared two youngs in a mixed breeding with Yellow-legged Gull.
On the rooftop, 27 breeding pairs of large gulls have been counted in 2013: 19 breeding pairs of Yellow-legged Gulls, 1 pair of Yellow-legged x Great Black-backed Gull, 1 pair of Caspian x Yellow-legged Gull, and 6 pairs of Herring Gulls. In total, 48 young birds were ringed this year, and 38 of these juveniles were attached with color rings. The color rings are yellow with a black four-digit code consisting of two digits , two numbers and a separation point.
Scapulars and several coverts replaced.
