Mediterranean Gull
This is an adult Mediterranean Gull in full breeding plumage with ghostly white wings, a lipstick-red bill and cartoon eye crescents. Mediterranean Gull is one of the big success stories as its numbers have increased dramatically in Britain, though it is still quite rare, particularly where I live in the Pennines. It first bred as recently as 1968 in Hampshire, but since then it has spread throughout England and the population exceeds 600 pairs. At least when Mediterranean Gull was first named its population was largely in the Mediterranean, and the type specimen was described from the Adriatic. This adult spent a day in late May on Ingbirchworth Reservoir in South Yorkshire. I know Mediterranean Gulls can be common at the coast but this site is at least 60 miles from the nearest coast, and is 850 feet above sea level. This is the first photo I have uploaded that shows the immaculate pale upperwings of an adult bird.
There are many confusing issues about the names and scientific names of gulls. Black-headed Gulls actually have brown heads, whereas Mediterranean Gulls really do have black heads. Their scientific name melanocephalus also translates as black-headed, whereas Black-headed Gull's ridibundus translates as "laughing". Yet Black-headed Gull is not one of the gulls that give a laughing call. To confuse matters further, there is a Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla) which translates as "black-tailed" yet it does not have a black tail, but at least it does laugh. It is thought that the author Linnaeus misread his own handwriting and meant to name the Laughing Gull atricapilla (which also means "black headed") rather than atricilla. But we cannot blame all of this confusion on historic authors. Until recently almost all gulls were placed in the same genus (family); Larus. Now many of our familiar gulls have been placed in different genera. Mediterranean Gull has recently been placed in the genus; Ichthyaetus, which translates as fish eagle. Though that name for the genus was taken from old species name for Great Black-headed Gull (aka Pallas's Gull- Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus). All very confusing.
Mediterranean Gull
This is an adult Mediterranean Gull in full breeding plumage with ghostly white wings, a lipstick-red bill and cartoon eye crescents. Mediterranean Gull is one of the big success stories as its numbers have increased dramatically in Britain, though it is still quite rare, particularly where I live in the Pennines. It first bred as recently as 1968 in Hampshire, but since then it has spread throughout England and the population exceeds 600 pairs. At least when Mediterranean Gull was first named its population was largely in the Mediterranean, and the type specimen was described from the Adriatic. This adult spent a day in late May on Ingbirchworth Reservoir in South Yorkshire. I know Mediterranean Gulls can be common at the coast but this site is at least 60 miles from the nearest coast, and is 850 feet above sea level. This is the first photo I have uploaded that shows the immaculate pale upperwings of an adult bird.
There are many confusing issues about the names and scientific names of gulls. Black-headed Gulls actually have brown heads, whereas Mediterranean Gulls really do have black heads. Their scientific name melanocephalus also translates as black-headed, whereas Black-headed Gull's ridibundus translates as "laughing". Yet Black-headed Gull is not one of the gulls that give a laughing call. To confuse matters further, there is a Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla) which translates as "black-tailed" yet it does not have a black tail, but at least it does laugh. It is thought that the author Linnaeus misread his own handwriting and meant to name the Laughing Gull atricapilla (which also means "black headed") rather than atricilla. But we cannot blame all of this confusion on historic authors. Until recently almost all gulls were placed in the same genus (family); Larus. Now many of our familiar gulls have been placed in different genera. Mediterranean Gull has recently been placed in the genus; Ichthyaetus, which translates as fish eagle. Though that name for the genus was taken from old species name for Great Black-headed Gull (aka Pallas's Gull- Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus). All very confusing.