June: adult fuscus

updated: 25-07-2005

Barth, in his research in the 1960's and 1970's determined two "contact zones" for fuscus and intermedius. One zone on the eastern islands of Denmark in the waters of Kattegat. Birds from the island Anholt are intermedius and those from the island Saltholm (Oresund) seem to be fuscus. The other division lines between intermedius and fuscus in Scandinavia is along the coast of central Norway near Tarva. 
Nowadays pale "intermedius" birds can be found as north as Trömsö, where they breed together with jet-black fuscus.
intermedius J6N1 from N Norway. (63793 bytes)LBBG intermedius adult J6N1, June 2002, Trömsö, Norway. A breeding adult, caught on the nest. Upper-part grey-tone matching intermedius.
adult fuscus in June, ringed JM88 in N Norway. (89124 bytes)LBBG fuscus adult JM88, June 2002, Trömsö, Norway. Jet-black adult, typical for fuscus, caught on the nest.