A strange gull from Poland to Italy

A strange first winter gull was observed by Marco Basso and photographed by Menotti Passarella at Chioggia, NE Italy, recently. Since it was ringed, it was possible to know it was marked in Poland as chick on May 2005, in a colony with Herring Gull Larus argentatus as dominant species. According to Grzegorz Neubauer, the ringer, in this colony regular hybridization occurs among Herring Gull Larus argentatus, Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans and Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis. In the case of this bird, its father, once trapped, was showing a strange combination of features, not fitting any of the three species; its mother remained unknown. Thus it may be a backross hybrid of F2 or F3 generation; however it was ringed as "species not determined". Any comments ?

22:18 - Thursday, January 26, 2006 - post comment