Yellow-legged gull

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Yellow-legged gull
Yellow-legged Gull 2023-10-10.jpg
Georges-Valbon, France
Gaivota - Portosin-5.jpg
Juvenile, Portosín, Porto do Son, Galicia, Spain
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Laridae
Genus: Larus
Species:
L. michahellis
Binomial name
Larus michahellis
Naumann, 1840
Larus michahellis map.svg
Synonyms

Larus argentatus michahellisNaumann, 1840
Larus cachinnans michahellisNaumann, 1840
Larus cachinnans atlantis
Larus cachinnans lusitanius

Contents

The yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) is a large gull found in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, which has only recently achieved wide recognition as a distinct species. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of either the Caspian gull L. cachinnans, or more broadly as a subspecies of the herring gull L. argentatus. The genus name is from Latin Larus which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird, and the species name honours the German zoologist Karl Michahelles. [2]

Classification

It is now generally accepted that the yellow-legged gull is a full species, but until recently there was much disagreement. For example, British Birds magazine split the yellow-legged gull from the herring gull in 1993 but included the Caspian gull in the former, [3] but the BOU in Great Britain retained the yellow-legged gull as a subspecies of the herring gull until 2007. [4] DNA research, however, suggests that the yellow-legged gull is actually closest to the great black-backed gull L. marinus and the Armenian gull L. armenicus, while the Caspian gull is closer to the herring gull and the lesser black-backed gull L. fuscus, rather than being each other's closest relatives. [5] [6]

There are two subspecies of the yellow-legged gull: [6]

There is also the subspecies L. m. omissus , first described in 1928 by the Russian ornithologist Theodor Pleske.

Distribution

Yellow-legged gull in Porto, Portugal Seagull July 2014-2.jpg
Yellow-legged gull in Porto, Portugal
Mating on roof-top, Constanta, Romania 2010.04.11 yellow-legged gulls, Constanta, Romania 096cc.jpg
Mating on roof-top, Constanta, Romania

The breeding range is centred on the Mediterranean Sea. In North Africa, it is common in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and increasing in places. Recent breeding has occurred in Libya and Egypt. In the Middle East, a few breed in Israel, Palestine and Syria with larger numbers in Cyprus and Turkey. In Europe, there are colonies all along the Mediterranean coast, and also on the Atlantic islands and coasts north to Brittany and west to the Azores. It also breeds on the western side of the Black Sea; here it overlaps with the Caspian gull but there is a difference in habitat, with the yellow-legged gull preferring sea cliffs and the Caspian gull flatter shores. In recent decades birds have spread north into central and western Europe. One to four pairs have attempted to breed in southern England since 1995 (sometimes hybrid pairs with lesser black-backed gulls), though colonisation has been very slow. [8]

Many birds remain in the same area all year round, but others migrate to spend the winter in mild areas of western Europe or head south as far as Senegal, Gambia and the Red Sea. There is also extensive northward post-breeding dispersal in the late summer, with numbers in southern England high from July to October. [9] It is reported as a vagrant to northeastern North America [10] and Nigeria.[ citation needed ]

Description

Nominate L. m. michahellis, Elba Larus portrait.jpg
Nominate L. m. michahellis, Elba
Head of a two-year old yellow-legged gull taken at the Breton coast Kopf.einer.zweijaehrigen.Mittelmeermoewe.jpg
Head of a two-year old yellow-legged gull taken at the Breton coast
Juvenile with open beak Venice seagull mouth.jpg
Juvenile with open beak

The yellow-legged gull is a large gull, though the size does vary, with the smallest females being scarcely larger than a common gull and the largest males being roughly the size of a great black-backed gull. They range in length from 52 to 68 cm (20 to 27 in) in total length, from 120 to 155 cm (47 to 61 in) in wingspan and from 550 to 1,600 g (1.21 to 3.53 lb) in weight. [11] Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 40.8 to 47.2 cm (16.1 to 18.6 in), the bill is 4.6 to 6 cm (1.8 to 2.4 in) and the tarsus is 5.6 to 7.5 cm (2.2 to 3.0 in). [11] Adults are externally similar to herring gulls but have yellow legs. They have a grey back, slightly darker than herring gulls but lighter than lesser black-backed gulls. They are much whiter-headed in autumn, and have more extensively black wing tips with few white spots, just as lesser black-backed. They have a red spot on the bill as adults, like the entire complex. There is a red ring around the eye like in the lesser black-backed gull but unlike in the herring gull which has a dark yellow ring.

First-year birds have a paler head, rump and underparts than those of the herring gull, more closely resembling first-year great black-backed gulls in plumage. They have a dark bill and eyes, pinkish grey legs, dark flight feathers and a well-defined black band on the tail. They become lighter in the underparts and lose the upperpart pattern subsequently. By their second winter, birds are essentially feathered like adults, save for the patterned feathers remaining on the wing coverts. However, their bill tips are black, their eyes still dark, and the legs are a light yellow flesh colour.

The call is a loud laugh which is deeper and more nasal than the call of the herring gull.

Diet

Yellow-legged gull eating a Eurasian collared dove in Barcelona Seagull eating a pigeon.jpg
Yellow-legged gull eating a Eurasian collared dove in Barcelona

Like most Larus gulls, they are omnivores and opportunistic foragers. [12] They will scavenge on rubbish tips and elsewhere, as well as seeking suitable prey in fields or on the coast, or robbing smaller gulls and other seabirds of their catches. Although urban populations are generally opportunistic scavengers, they can shift to a predatory diet if necessary; this was observed during the lockdown of Italy in 2020, when the lack of food scraps led the yellow-legged gulls of Rome to take prey as large as rats and rock doves. [13] [14]

Atlantic gulls in Gibraltar have been observed and photographed picking and eating fruit from olive trees in flight. [15]

Reproduction

Larus michahellis atlantis - MHNT Larus michahellis atlantis MHNT.ZOO.2010.11.122.7.jpg
Larus michahellis atlantis - MHNT

Yellow-legged gulls usually breed in colonies. Eggs, usually three, are laid from mid March to early May and are defended vigorously by this large gull. The nest is a sometimes sparse mound of vegetation built on the ground or on cliff ledges. In some places, such as Gibraltar, Galicia and Portugal, they have started nesting on buildings, inside cities and even on trees. The eggs are incubated for 27–31 days and the young birds fledge after 35–40 days.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gull</span> Seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari

Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and skimmers and distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders. Until the 21st century, most gulls were placed in the genus Larus, but that arrangement is now considered polyphyletic, leading to the resurrection of several genera. An older name for gulls is mews, which is cognate with German Möwe, Danish måge, Swedish mås, Dutch meeuw, Norwegian måke/måse, and French mouette, and can still be found in certain regional dialects.

<i>Larus</i> Genus of birds

Larus is a large genus of gulls with worldwide distribution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common gull</span> Species of bird

The common gull or sea mew is a medium-sized gull that breeds in the Palearctic. The closely related short-billed gull is sometimes included in this species, which may be known collectively as "mew gull". Many common gulls migrate further south in winter. There are differing accounts as to how the species acquired its vernacular name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laughing gull</span> Species of bird

The laughing gull is a medium-sized gull of North and South America. Named for its laugh-like call, it is an opportunistic omnivore and scavenger. It breeds in large colonies mostly along the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. The two subspecies are L. a. megalopterus — which can be seen from southeast Canada down to Central America — and L. a. atricilla, which appears from the West Indies to the Venezuelan islands. The laughing gull was long placed in the genus Larus until its present placement in Leucophaeus, which follows the American Ornithologists' Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European herring gull</span> Species of bird

The European herring gull is a large gull, up to 66 cm (26 in) long. It breeds throughout the northern and western coasts of Europe. Some European herring gulls, especially those resident in colder areas, migrate further south in winter, but many are permanent residents, such as in Ireland, Britain, Iceland, or on the North Sea shores. They have a varied diet, including fish, crustaceans, as well as some plants, and are also scavengers, consuming carrion and food left by or stolen from humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great black-backed gull</span> Species of bird

The great black-backed gull is the largest member of the gull family. Described by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as "the king of the Atlantic waterfront", it is a very aggressive hunter, pirate, and scavenger. It breeds on the European and North American coasts and islands of the North Atlantic and is fairly sedentary, though some move farther south or inland to large lakes and reservoirs. The adult great black-backed gull has a white head, neck and underparts, dark grey wings and back, pink legs and yellow bill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesser black-backed gull</span> Species of bird

The lesser black-backed gull is a large gull that breeds on the Atlantic coasts of Europe. It is migratory, wintering from the British Isles south to West Africa. However, it has increased dramatically in North America, especially along the east coast. Formerly just a winter visitor to North America, it has increased and occurs in large numbers some winters and birds are now recorded year-round. However, there is serious concern about decline in many parts of its range. The species is on the UK Amber List because the UK is home to 40 per cent of the European population and more than half of these are found at fewer than ten breeding sites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glaucous gull</span> Species of bird

The glaucous gull is a large gull, the second-largest gull in the world. The genus name is from Latin larus, which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird. The specific name hyperboreus is Latin for "northern" from the Ancient Greek Huperboreoi people from the far north "Glaucous" is from Latin glaucus and denotes the grey colour of the gull. An older English name for this species is burgomaster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iceland gull</span> Species of bird in the genus Larus

The Iceland gull is a medium-sized gull that breeds in the Arctic regions of Canada and Greenland, but not in Iceland, where it is only seen during winter. The genus name is from Latin larus, which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird. The specific name glaucoides denotes its resemblance to Larus glaucus, a synonym of Larus hyperboreus, the glaucous gull; -oides is Ancient Greek and means "resembling".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pallas's gull</span> Species of bird

Pallas's gull, also known as the great black-headed gull, is a large bird species. As is the case with many gulls, it has traditionally been placed in the genus Larus. The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. Ichthyaetus is from ikhthus, "fish", and aetos, "eagle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caspian gull</span> Species of bird

The Caspian gull is a large gull and a member of the herring and lesser black-backed gull complex. The scientific name is from Latin. Larus appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird, and cachinnans means 'laughing', from cachinnare 'to laugh'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California gull</span> Species of bird

The California gull is a medium-sized gull, smaller on average than the herring gull, but larger on average than the ring-billed gull. It lives not just in California, but up and down the entire Western coast of North America, and has breeding ground inland. The yellow bill has a black ring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelp gull</span> Species of bird

The kelp gull, also known as the Dominican gull, is a gull that breeds on coasts and islands through much of the Southern Hemisphere. The nominate L. d. dominicanus is the subspecies found around South America, parts of Australia, and New Zealand. L. d. vetula is a subspecies occurring around Southern Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slaty-backed gull</span> Species of bird

The slaty-backed gull is a large, white-headed gull that breeds on the north-eastern coast of the Palearctic, but travels widely during nonbreeding seasons. It is similar in appearance to the western gull and the glaucous-winged gull. Another alternate name is Pacific gull, though it also applies to a Southern Hemisphere species, L. pacificus.

<i>Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America</i> 2004 book by Klaus Malling Olsen and Hans Larsson

Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America by Klaus Malling Olsen and Hans Larsson is a volume in the Helm Identification Guides series of bird identification books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heuglin's gull</span> Subspecies of bird

Heuglin's gull or the Siberian gull, is a seabird in the genus Larus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armenian gull</span> Species of bird

The Armenian gull is a large gull found in the Caucasus and the Middle East. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the European herring gull, but is now generally considered to be a separate species, although BirdLife International lumps it with the yellow-legged gull.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vega gull</span> Species of bird

The Vega gull, East Siberian gull, or East Siberian herring gull is a large gull of the herring gull/lesser black-backed gull complex which breeds in Northeast Asia. Its classification is still controversial and uncertain. It is variously treated as a separate species, as a subspecies of the American herring gull or included with both the American herring gull and European herring gull in L. argentatus. The Mongolian gull, Larus mongolicus, has previously been regarded as a subspecies of the Caspian gull but is now sometimes lumped with the Vega gull.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American herring gull</span> Species of bird

The American herring gull or Smithsonian gull is a large gull that breeds in North America, where it is treated by the American Ornithological Society as a subspecies of herring gull.

References

  1. BirdLife International (2019). "Larus michahellis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T62030970A154522526. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T62030970A154522526.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp.  219, 253. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  3. Sharrock, J.T.R. (1993). "Editorial". British Birds. 86 (1): 1–2.
  4. Sangster, George; Collinson, J. Martin; Knox, Alan G.; Parkin, David T.; Svensson, Lars (2007). "Taxonomic recommendations for British birds: Fourth report". Ibis. 149 (4): 853–857. doi: 10.1111/j.1474-919X.2007.00758.x .
  5. Pons, J.-M.; Hassanin, A.; Crochet, P.-A. (2005). "Phylogenetic relationships within the Laridae (Charadriiformes: Aves) inferred from mitochondrial markers" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution. 37 (3): 686–699. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.05.011. PMID   16054399. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
  6. 1 2 Collinson, J. Martin; Parkin, David T.; Knox, Alan G.; Sangster, George; Svensson, Lars (2008). "Species boundaries in the Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gull complex" (PDF). British Birds. 101 (7): 340–363.
  7. Callahan, David. "Seabird splits". birdwatch.co.uk. Birdwatch Magazine. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  8. Holling, M. (2009). "Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2006" (PDF). British Birds. 102: 188. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  9. Snow, D.W.; Perrins, C.M. (1998). The Birds of the Western Palearctic . Vol. 1 (Concise ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  10. Field Guide to the Birds of North America. National Geographic. 2002. ISBN   0-7922-6877-6.
  11. 1 2 Olsen, Klaus Malling; Larsson, Hans (2004). Gulls: of North America, Europe, and Asia . Princeton University Press. ISBN   978-0691119977.
  12. Zorrozua, Nere; Aldalur, Asier; Herrero, Alfredo; Diaz, Beñat; Delgado, Sergio; Sanpera, Carola; Jover, Lluís; Arizaga, Juan (2020). "Breeding Yellow-legged Gulls increase consumption of terrestrial prey after landfill closure". Ibis. 162 (1): 50–62. doi:10.1111/ibi.12701. ISSN   1474-919X. S2CID   91802710.
  13. "Covid 19 coronavirus: Seagulls begin to hunt rats on streets of Rome". NZ Herald. 4 May 2020. ISSN   1170-0777 . Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  14. Squires, Nick (1 May 2020). "Seagulls in Rome take to killing rats and pigeons as lockdown deprives them of food scraps". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  15. van Swelm, Norman Deans. "FRUIT PICKING GIBRALTAR ATLANTIC GULLS". Radioactive Robins. Retrieved 13 October 2021.