THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
THE BIRDS OF SOUTH
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
KUMLIEN'S GULL – Larus glaucoides kumlieni
As with all reports of
rare and scarce birds they are subject to ratification by the respective
rarities committees There is
continuing debate about the taxonomic status of Kumlien's Gull, and some
authorities consider the Thayer's Gull to be the dark-mantled form of the
Iceland Gull, with Kumlien's Gull (variously treated as a subspecies of either
Thayer's or Iceland Gulls) as an intermediate example, forming a cline rather
than separate species. The American Ornithologists' Union considered Thayer's
Gull a subspecies of American Herring Gull from 1917 until 1973, when they
determined it was a separate species from Herring Gull. In the UK as the
scientific name implies it is considered to be closer to Iceland Gull.
There has
been one Kumlien's Gull reported from S. Gloucestershire in;
1996: (1)
On June 30th a 1st winter moulting to 2nd summer was identified at Oldbury Power Station, it was present for eighteen days and was last noted on July 17th. This occurrence constitutes the first record of this form for S. Gloucestershire.