[obol] possible????? Slaty-backed Gull

[Cindy Ashy]

OBOL:

Wayne's post about the possible Slaty-backed Gull is intriguing. I've been
paying particular attention to the gulls at the gull puddle this winter/spring
and I've seen several immature "western gulls" that had pale eyes...and they
looked a bit odd to me otherwise as well.

Harry Nehls told me that during years when there is a Glaucous Gull invasion,
you may see more Slaty-backed Gulls too, citing the 92-93 winter as a good
example. To throw a monkey-wrench into it, he also said they hybridize with
Glaucous and Glaucous-winged Gulls :-)

One OBOLite recently referred to the larids as a "genetic train wreck"...cool
term but I prefer to view it as a rare opportunity to view speciation in
progress....in real time.

Back to the puddle where the gulls muddle for concrete answers that never come
:-)

Cindy Ashy


 
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