YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis subspecies L. m. michahellis) adult at Palaiochora Harbour, Palaiochora, Crete, Greece

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The Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. Up until recently it was considered as a race of Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) but has now been given full species status. Post breeding populations disperse north and east. From July onward it occurs in good numbers in southern Britain but is an uncommon and scarce species in Ireland.

 

There are two subspecies recognised:

• Larus michahellis michahellis - breeds in parts of western and southern Europe, as well as the Mediterranean Basin.  

• Larus michahellis atlantis - known as Atlantic Gull, breeds on the Atlantic coasts of France, Iberia, Morocco, Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores where a dark headed form occurs.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) distribution map

 

  Year round resident        Breeding        Non breeding-winter

 

Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons 

YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis subspecies L .m. atlantis) adult at Corralejo, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain

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The Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. Up until recently it was considered as a race of Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) but has now been given full species status. Post breeding populations disperse north and east. From July onward it occurs in good numbers in southern Britain but is an uncommon and scarce species in Ireland.

 

There are two subspecies recognised:

• Larus michahellis michahellis - breeds in parts of western and southern Europe, as well as the Mediterranean Basin.  

• Larus michahellis atlantis - known as Atlantic Gull, breeds on the Atlantic coasts of France, Iberia, Morocco, Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores where a dark headed form occurs.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) distribution map

 

  Year round resident         Breeding        Non breeding-winter

 

Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis subspecies L .m. atlantis) adult at El Cotillo, Fuerteventura, The Canary Islands, Spain

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The Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. Up until recently it was considered as a race of Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) but has now been given full species status. Post breeding populations disperse north and east. From July onward it occurs in good numbers in southern Britain but is an uncommon and scarce species in Ireland.

 

There are two subspecies recognised:

• Larus michahellis michahellis - breeds in parts of western and southern Europe, as well as the Mediterranean Basin.  

• Larus michahellis atlantis - known as Atlantic Gull, breeds on the Atlantic coasts of France, Iberia, Morocco, Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores where a dark headed form occurs.

 Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

Yellow Legged Gull (Larus michahellis) distribution map

 

  Year round resident         Breeding        Non breeding-winter

 

Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

GLAUCOUS GULL [1st winter] (Larus hyperboreus) Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland

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The Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) is a large gull of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. It breeds in Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This migratory species wintering in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans as far south as the British Isles and northernmost states of the United States as well as on the Great Lakes. There are four subspecies generally recognised.

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaucous_gull 

GLAUCOUS GULL [1st winter] (Larus hyperboreus) Port Oriel, Clogherhead, Co.Louth, Ireland

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The Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) is a large gull of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. It breeds in Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This migratory species wintering in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans as far south as the British Isles and northernmost states of the United States as well as on the Great Lakes. There are four subspecies generally recognised.

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaucous_gull

MEDITERRANEAN GULL (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) in 1st winter or 2nd year plumage at Bullock Harbour, Harbour Road, Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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 The Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Ichthyaetus. This species has greatly expanded its range in the last 60 years from Eastern Europe. 

The first breeding record for Britain was in 1968 and now in excess of 1200 pairs breed. In 1995 a pair was discovered breeding in Co. Antrim and the following year a pair bred in Co. Wexford. Since then the Irish population has gradually increased to over 60 pairs. In the autumn there is an influx of continental birds from Europe for the winter which has been proven by colour ringing and then a return migration takes place in late spring.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

 Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) distribution map

Breeding      Breeding resident     Non breeding - winter

 

SanoAK: Alexander Kürthy, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

ICELAND GULL Larus glaucoides Lady's Island Lake, Co. Wexford, Ireland,

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BLACK HEADED GULL (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) juvenile in moult to 1st winter plumage, Blessington Street Basin Reservoir, Dublin City, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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 The Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Chroicocephalus.

LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL Larus fuscus ssp. l. f. graellsii Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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COMMON GULL Larus canus ssp. l. c. canus Gormanston Beach, Co.Meath, Ireland

 

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EUROPEAN HERRING GULL (Larus argentatus subspecies L. a. argenteus) at Keenleen, South Harbour, Cape Clear Island, Baltimore, Co.Cork, Ireland

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The European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Larus. There are several subspecies recognised including the Western European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus argenteus) which is resident in Ireland, Britain and the Near Continent.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

ICELAND GULL (1st winter) (Larus glaucoides) Seatown Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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ICELAND GULL (1st winter) (Larus glaucoides) Seatown Marsh, Broadmeadow Estuary, Swords, Co. Dublin, Ireland

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GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL Larus marinus

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GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL Larus marinus

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BLACK HEADED GULL (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) !st winter plumage, Blessington Street Basin Reservoir, Dublin City, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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 The Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Chroicocephalus.

BLACK HEADED GULL (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) adult winter plumage, Blessington Street Basin Street Reservoir, Dublin City, Co. Dublin, Ireland

 

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 The Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is of the family Laridae which is in the genus Chroicocephalus.