查看完整版本: Status of Larus vegae mongolicus in HK

Status of Larus vegae mongolicus in HK

I like to ask the status of [i]Larus vegae mongolicus[/i] in Hong Kong. Please help.

At present the HK list has Caspian Gull [i]Larus cachinnans[/i] on. Is that what we used to call Yellow-legged Gull ssp [i]mongolicus[/i]? Are both [i]Larus cachinnans[/i] and [i]Larus vegae mongolicus[/i] present in Hong Kong?

How to distinguish [i]Larus cachinnans[/i] and [i]Larus vegae mongolicus[/i]?

HF Cheung

Ho Fai,

Yes, Caspian Gull is what we call [i]mongolicus [/i](whether the latter is a ssp of [i]vegae [/i]or not is debated).

As far as we know, only '[i]mongolicu[/i]s' occurs regularly. Caspian Gull [i]L. cachinnans[/i] is a possibility, but it is likely to always be rare. There are no records currently.

As for separation, I would defer to the literature; e.g. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America by Olsen and Larsson.

Regards,

GeoffC

Thanks Geoff.

I recently saw this bird in Baoshan, Yunnan (19 Oct 2015). It looks like a 1st winter [i]Mongolicus[/i] to me (identifical to those in HK, I think). If confirmed, this will be a first for Yunnan. Please help with the id. I saw it briefly in flight. The dark tail tip is much thinner than a typical [i]Heuglin[/i] at this time. Of course, body color also much paler as can be seen from the photo.
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HF Cheung