Larus cachinnans in Poland

(last update: August 01, 2021)

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cachinnans in Poland

National distribution

Zastów Karczmiski
Kępa Nadbrzeska
Jeziórko
Jankowice
Mietków Reservoir & Chwałów
Kozielno & Topola Reservoir
Mokrzec
Wytyckie Lake
Dankowice / Foskowiec Pond
Czorsztyn Reservoir
Kuźnica Warężyńska / Pogoria
Dwory

small colonies or single sites

Caspian Gull cachinnans: Zastów Karczmiski

Zastów Karczmiski: 51°16'00.0"N 21°49'32.8"E

Breeding species:

• Larus cachinnans
• Larus argentatus
• Larus michahellis
• Hybrid types

Habitat: 

River island. The largest colony in Poland.

Annual numbers:

Please visit Łukasz's BLOG for beautiful drawings and up-to-date gull news from eastern Poland: Wildlife art and illustration

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.

Łukasz Bednarz is a very active ringer as well as a very gifted illustrator and artist. Please visit Łukasz's BLOG "Wildlife art and illustration" for beautiful drawings.	Islands in river Vistula (Polish: Wisła) near Zastów Karczmiski, stronghold for Caspian Gulls. Picture: Paweł Jaszczuk & Greg Neubauer.

Zastów Karczmiski, eastern Poland.

With a population of over 350.000 people, Lublin is one of the larger cities in east Poland close to both the Ukrain and the Belarus border. If you travel only 45 km to the west, you'll find yourself in the Vistula river valley (Polish: Wisła river). This is one of Poland's larger colonies of Larus cachinnans, with about 600 breeding pairs in 2012, situated close to the village Zastów Karczmiski (click link for more info).
In Zastów Karczmiski, Polish ringer and illustrator Łukasz Bednarz spend much time in the breeding season between April and July to do ringing projects and field research.

Zastów Karczmiski - islands in River Wisła, stronghold for Caspian Gulls.

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). (pers comm. Łukasz Bednarz).

 Picture: Paweł Jaszczuk.

River Vistula in summer. Picture: Jola i Sławek Snopkowie

River Vistula in summer. Picture: Jola i Sławek Snopkowie

Part of the largest colony of large gulls in Poland, near Zastów Karczmiski, middle Vistula. May 2004. (Picture: Greg Neubauer)	Middle Vistula river near Zastów Karczmiski.

The default birds breeding at Zastów Karczmiski are cachinnans, but some breeding birds belong to either michahellis or argentatus (or hybrid offspring of these two). Mixed breeding has been recorded and documented in much detail for the Vistula river valley, and this may be the origin for argentatus (and michahellis) found in Zastów Karczmiski as well.

Below we show a thumbnail selection of some 10's of birds ringed at Zastów Karczmiski.
The complete set of breeding birds ringed by Łukasz Bednarz ringing team in 2014 (100+ birds) are at THIS PAGE.