Saturday, 7 January 2017

Yellow-legged Gulls (Larus michahellis)

Since 2013 I have been studying and photographing Yellow-legged Gulls at Portimao, which is in southern Portugal. The fish harbour there attracts many gulls and they are generally quite confiding and allow close approach.

Amongst the gulls are some tricky individuals that don't quite conform to the rules. The first-winters can be very difficult to separate from Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Some of these are not typical of the nominate Larus michahellis michahellis and a few may well be L.m lusitanius, or be closely related.

For anyone with an interest in these gulls I have put together a gallery of images.

CLICK HERE to access the gallery

Yellow-legged Gull


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2 comments:

  1. colin8 January 2017 at 18:00

    Great images in the gallery Carl, have you found where some of the birds were ringed yet??

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  2. Carl Baggott8 January 2017 at 18:06

    Yes Colin, the black colour rings are from an animal rehabilitation centre based near Faro. The gulls are taken in when found injured and if they survive they are ringed and released. I have seen Lesser Black-backed Gulls at Shawell wearing rings from this rehabilitation centre. The orange ringed on was ringed in a breeding colony in south-east Spain.

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