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From: jhiggott@axion.bt.co.uk (jeff higgott)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Yellow-legged Gull
Message-ID: <1990Nov9.094356@axion.bt.co.uk>
Date: 9 Nov 90 09:43:56 GMT
References: <1360@sun13.scri.fsu.edu>
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In article <1360@sun13.scri.fsu.edu>, sandee@sun16.scri.fsu.edu (Daan Sandee) writes:
|> I heard a rumor that Yellow-legged Gull (L. (argentatus) cachinnans, I assume)
|> has been split off from Herring Gull (L. argentatus) in Europe.
|> 
|> For European birders :
|> Can anybody confirm?
|> If yes, what is the authority in Europe that decided these things ? Does the
|> BOU assume authority for the entire Western Palaearctic?
|> Where is this kind of stuff published?
|> Does L. cachinnans include *all* yellow-legged subspecies of L.argentatus,
|> e.g. L.a. michahellis as well as L.a. cachinnans ?

I believe that Yellow-legged Gull has been split on the continent, and does
include cachinans and michahellis.  The BOU's pronouncements concern only 
Britain, and they have still not split cachinans.....yet.  Large gull taxonomy
is notoriously complicated.  Apart from the yellow-legged cachinans and
michahellis, there is also armenicus in south eastern Europe - is that a separate 
species "Armenian Gull"?  In western Europe, the pink-legged argenteus
occurs; further north (Scandanavia) the larger argentatus, which moves south
in winter, with good numbers wintering in Britain.  Further east in nort-east
Europe, I think there is another yellow-legged race.
Then, in USA there's smithsonianus, (which occurred in Britain last winter!)....
And I wonder where Thayer's, Kumlien's. Glaucous etc fit in?

I would like to see cachinans/michahellis split here in Britain though.

All very complicated!  It would be great to discuss Herring Gull taxonomy 
further.  Anybody wish to comment.......Annika?




                                          

* Jeff Higgott 
*                                                                           *
* "Under bridges, over bridges, to our destination" - HMHB