- Heuglin's Gull
Taxobox
name = Heuglin's Gull
status= LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
image_caption = In theKutch region ofIndia , resting in asaltpan .
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo =Charadriiformes
familia =Laridae
genus = "Larus "
species = "L. heuglini"
binomial = "Larus heuglini"
binomial_authority = Bree,1876 , northSiberia Heuglin's Gull or Siberian Gull, "Larus heuglini", is a
seabird in the genus "Larus ". It is closely related to theLesser Black-backed Gull , "Larus fuscus", and is often classified as asubspecies of it. It has also been included within theHerring Gull , "Larus argentatus".Birds in the eastern part of Heuglin's Gull's range are often paler grey above and are frequently considered to be a separate subspecies "Larus heuglini taimyrensis" (Taimyr Gull). Another possibility is that they are a result of hybridization between Heuglin's Gulls and
Vega Gull s.Heuglin's Gulls breed in the
tundra of northernRussia from theKola Peninsula east to theTaymyr Peninsula . They are regularly reported fromFinland and may breed there. They migrate south to winter in Southwest, South andEast Asia andEast Africa . Small numbers are seen inSoutheast Asia , it has been recorded inSouth Africa and it may occur as a vagrant inWestern Europe .They are large gulls with a rounded head, strong bill and long legs and wings. The back and wings are dark grey, variable in shade but often similar to the "graelsii" race of Lesser Black-backed Gull. In winter the head is only lightly streaked with brown but there is heavier streaking on the hindneck. The legs are usually yellow but can be pink.
Moult ing takes place later than in most of their relatives so birds still have unstreaked heads and worn primaries in September and October. The primary feathers may not be fully grown until February or March when the head is still streaked.They feed mainly on
mollusc s,worm s andcrustacean s.References
* Paul Doherty & Bill Oddie (2001) "Gulls: A Video Guide to the Gulls of Europe, Asia & North America". Videocassette. Bird Images.
* Craig Robson (2002) "A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia". New Holland, London.
* Adrian Skerrett, Ian Bullock & Tony Disley (2001), "Birds of Seychelles", Christopher Helm, London.External links
* [http://www.gull-research.org/heuglini/heuglinsgull.html Heuglin's Gull] , Gull Research Organization
* [http://www.gull-research.org/miscellaneous/BIRDING_SCOTLAND_GULLS.pdf. Is it possible to identify Baltic and Heuglin’s Gulls?]
* [http://www.birdskorea.org/lwhgid.asp The "Herring Gull" Assemblage in South Korea] , Birding Korea
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