Common Gull Larus canus Scientific name definitions

L. c. canus Linnaeus, 1758; type locality restricted to Sweden.

Breeds Iceland and British Isles east to White Sea, Russia; winters across Europe to n. Africa east to Persian Gulf; rare in winter (Sep-May) along Atlantic Seaboard, with a few summering records in recent years from Quebec attributed to this race. Specimens of L. c. canus have been taken in Greenland and Massachusetts (35 Veit, R. R., and W. R. Petersen (1993). The Birds of Massachusetts. Massachussetts Audubon Society, Lincoln, MA, USA. Close , 36 Boertman, D. (1994). An annotated checklist to the birds of Greenland. Meddelelser om Grønland, Bioscience 38. Close ). Occurrence along Atlantic coast of North America also supported by many sight reports supported with identifiable photographs showing characters of this subspecies; most records are from Newfoundland and e. Quebec (B. Mactavish unpubl., Quebec regional summaries in North American Birds and predecessors), whereas scattered records exist from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, Virginia, and N. Carolina (37 Godfrey, W. E. (1986). The Birds of Canada. Revised Edition. National Museums of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Close , 35 Veit, R. R., and W. R. Petersen (1993). The Birds of Massachusetts. Massachussetts Audubon Society, Lincoln, MA, USA. Close , 38 Guthrie, A., A. Wilson and A. Lauro. (1999). Eurasian subspecies of Mew Gull (Larus canus canus) on Long Island. Kingbird 49:286-294. Close , LRB). One specimen, from Lock's Cove, Newfoundland, 19 Apr 1956 was of a bird banded as a chick on the White Sea (37 Godfrey, W. E. (1986). The Birds of Canada. Revised Edition. National Museums of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada. Close ); another individual banded as a chick in Iceland returned to Newfoundland for at least 6 winters (B. Mactavish pers. comm.). So far, all North American records identifiable as L. c. canus are from the immediate coastal region, but with increasing populations in Iceland and consequent increase in records in recent decades along the east coast, records from farther inland in e. North America might be expected.

Medium size, similar to L. brachyrhynchus but perhaps slightly heavier and with slightly bigger bill; adult has black extending to near tips of primary coverts on P8-P9; usually lacks white spot between gray and black on primaries, although this highly variable, and many specimens show some small white spots similar to L. brachyrhynchus (LRB); mantle medium to pale gray, with w. European birds averaging paler than L. brachyrhynchus (some almost as pale as Ring-billed Gull); eye generally dark (averages darker than L. brachyrhynchus).

L. c. heinei Homeyer, 1853; type locality based on wintering bird from Greece (synonyms L. c. var. major Middendorff and L. c. stegmanni Brodkorb).

Breeds across a vast region from central Russia (Kanin Peninsula and Moscow region) east to w. and central Siberia (Lena River); winters Baltic Sea, se. Europe, Black and Caspian Seas, Persian Gulf, and, to lesser extent, e. Mediterranean basin, n. Red Sea, and perhaps also se. China. Diagnosability of this taxon from L. c. canus needs to be reexamined; many birds not certainly identifiable (e.g., see 30 Devillers, P. (1982). Larus canus heinei en Belgique. Gerfaut 72:107-110. Close ). Birds showing wing characters of this subspecies reported over 1,200 km east of Lena River on Omolon River (10 Carey, G. J. and P. R. Kennerley. (1996). 'Mew' Gull: the first record for Hong Kong and the identification and systematics of Common Gull forms in east Asia. Hong Kong Bird Report 1995:134-149. Close ).

Similar to L. c. canus, but averages larger and darker on mantle; tends to be whiter-headed in Basic plumages, being more sparsely marked on head and neck; intermediates with L. c. canus frequent in Israel (39 Shirihai, H. (1996). The Birds of Israel. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ).

L. c. kamtschatschensis (Bonaparte, 1857); substitute name for Gavina Kamtchatchensis Bonaparte, 1854; type locality Kamchatka.

Breeds ne. Siberia from Lena River east to Anadyrland and Koryakland, south to Sakhalin, Kamchatka, and Kuril Is.; winters coastal e. Asia (China, Taiwan, Japan, and islands south of Japan). Vagrant to w. Aleutians (Attu, Shemya), St. Lawrence I., and Pribilof Is. (St. Paul), based on photographs and specimens (40 Gibson, D. D., and B. Kessel (1997). Inventory of the species and subspecies of Alaska birds. Western Birds 28(2):45–95. Close ). Other reports along west coast of North America remain uncertain.

Largest subspecies, with relatively more robust bill that is thicker and more parallel-sided than other races; black extends basally to near tips of primary coverts on P8-P9; P1-P7 usually with white spot between gray and black; mantle medium gray; eye generally pale yellow.