Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) [XC740883]
by Per Lindquist from Ballyvoge, Cork, County Cork, Ireland (flight call)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) [XC748293]
by Paul Kelly from Ballycotton, County Cork, Ireland (nocturnal flight call)
Breeding Season (Guide)
Does not breed in Australia.
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Nest
Large mound of seaweed and plants on open ground, occasionally concealed by vegatation.
Eggs (Guide)
1 - 4, usually 3; smooth, variable, pale blue-green, olive, buff or various shades of brown, blotched and spotted with darker brown; oval. Incubation: 28 - 30 days; by both sexes.
Subspecies
Larus cachinnans (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans) and Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis); Armenian Gull (Larus armenicus) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993; AERC TAC) has been lumped into Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis). These changes to the BirdLife checklist follow examination by the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group (BTWG) of a recent review of large white-headed gulls in the Holarctic by Collinson et al. (2008) and associated literature referred to therein. The following species level treatment, shown with subspecific placements, has been adopted by the BTWG: Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (with intermedius, graellsii, heuglini, taimyrensis and barabensis); Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (with argenteus, smithsonianus, vegae and mongolicus); Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis) (with atlantis and armenicus) and Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans).
Closely related to European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), and sometimes considered conspecific. Very complex systematics involving several of the subspecies. Some evidence that heuglini overlaps nominate fuscus, perhaps without interbreeding and may merit specific status as Heuglin's Gull (Larus heuglini), which may even include subspecies vegae of European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus).
Form described as antelius (western Siberia) is a synonym of heuglini; taimyrensis (Yenisey and Taymyr Peninsula) considered not separable from heuglini.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
graellsii Brehm, AE, 1857 - Iceland, Faeroes, British Is, France and Iberia. Winters from south-western Europe to western Africa. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Western Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus graellsii).
fuscus Linnaeus, 1758 - Sweden and northern Norway east to White Sea. Winters mostly in Africa and south-western Asia.
intermedius Schiøler, 1922 - Netherlands, Denmark and southern Norway, with isolated population in north-eastern Spain (Ebro Delta). Winters mostly in western Europe and western Africa.
heuglini Bree, 1876 - Northern Siberia, from southern Kola Peninsula east to Taymyr Peninsula. Winters from Middle East south to eastern Africa, and east to north-western India. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Heuglin's Gull (Larus heuglini).
barabensis Johansen, HC, 1960 - Steppes of central Asia. Winters mainly in south-western Asia east to India. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Baraba Gull (Larus barabensis).
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7
BirdLife International Species Factsheet