Includes Steppe (Baraba) Gull and Caspian Gull
- Larus cachinnans
Identification
Grey back, black wing tips with few white spots, red spot on the bill as adults, red ring around the eye.
First-year birds have a dark bill and eyes, pinkish grey legs, dark flight feathers and a well-defined black band on the tail. By their second winter, birds are essentially feathered like adults, apart from the patterned feathers remaining on the wing coverts. However, their billtips are black, their eyes still dark, and the legs are a light yellow.
ID discussion on how to distinguish Caspian (L. c. cachinnans) and Yellow-legged Gull (L. c. michahellis and L. c. atlantis), regarded as separate species by some authorities.
Distribution
Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
Taxonomy
Subspecies of the Yellow-legged Gull:
- L. c. cachinnans
- Black Sea to Kazakstan; winters to southern Asia and north-eastern Africa
- Split by Clements1 as the Caspian Gull.
- L. c. barabensis
- Steppes of central Asia; winters mainly in south-western Asia east to India
- Split by Clements1 as the Steppe Gull; also known as Baraba Gull.
- L. c. michahellis
- Breeds in the Mediterranean
- L. c. atlantis
- Breeds on Atlantic shores adjacent to the Mediterranean.
Habitat
Fields and coasts.
Behaviour
They are scavengers and hunt suitable small prey in fields or on the coast, or rob plovers or lapwings of their catches.
They breed in colonies. The nest is a mound of vegetation built on the ground or on cliff ledges. 3 eggs are laid and are incubated for 27-31 days; the young fledge after 35-40 days.
External Links
Yellow-legged Gull in flight by Theo Mamais