Larus cachinnans
(last update:
Greg Neubauer
Marcin Przymencki
Albert de Jong
Mars Muusse
cachinnans plumages
Larus cachinnans 3P87 adult, May 04 2014, Zastów Karczmiski, Poland. Picture: Łukasz Bednarz ringing team.
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Location: Zastów Karczmiski, Poland - colony at the banks of the Middle Vistula river.
In 2004 240 breeding pairs (95% cachinnans, <5% argentatus). (Ornis Fennica 2011 88, 80-89) and in 2012 592 pairs (90% cachinnans, <10% hybrid / argentatus) and possibly Larus michahellis (pers comm. Łukasz Bednarz).
Middle Vistule river is a location where several taxa breed: see composition. Since this is a mixed breeding population where hybridisation is not uncommon, the ringing centre in Poland decided to label birds "Larus argentatus sensu lato". Still bulk of the breeding birds in Middle Vistula region show features of cachinnans.
Breeding bird trapped at the nest. Probably male with obvious gonys angle. Overall like michahellis, but wingtip pattern classic cachinnans.
Adult, with limited speckling in iris. Red orbital ring and gape. Faint red on upper mandible; faint black on the upper but not on the lower mandible.
Saturated yellow legs.
Deep white tongue on P10 (creating almost thayeri pattern = when black medial band is broken), broad black band on P5; black spot on P4.
P1 still present, PMS=0.
