Latin Etymology: Larus ("Gull") dominicanus (black and white, in allusion to Dominican Friars)
Second Summer Kelp Gull (subspecies Larus dominicanus vetula) at Grafham Water - August 2022
Featured Subspecies: Cape Gull (Larus dominicanus vetula)
Weight: 900-1000g
Length: 54-65cm
Wingspan: 128-142cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern
I must admit, had I not seen reports of this bird near to me, I would never have noticed it in the field on my own - very similar in appearance to the Great Black Backed gull and not previously recorded in the UK! To more trained eyes than mine however, the gentler face and the long blue-tinged legs were enough to identify this as a species more typically found roaming the Souther hemisphere where itis found along the coasts of Southern Africa, Australia, New Zealand and even Antarctica.
Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Laridae
Genus: Larus
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern
I must admit, had I not seen reports of this bird near to me, I would never have noticed it in the field on my own - very similar in appearance to the Great Black Backed gull and not previously recorded in the UK! To more trained eyes than mine however, the gentler face and the long blue-tinged legs were enough to identify this as a species more typically found roaming the Souther hemisphere where itis found along the coasts of Southern Africa, Australia, New Zealand and even Antarctica.
Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Laridae
Genus: Larus
SUBSPECIES: L. d. dominicanus, L. d. vetula, L. d. austrinus, L. d. judithae, L. d. melisandae
- Sighting Locations -
Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
- Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - This bird is the first known vagrant to rhe UK
- A vagrant bird at Grafham Water in August 2022
Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
No comments:
Post a Comment