Gulls (Laridae)
Thayer's Gull (Larus thayeri) - HBW 3, p. 609
French: Goéland de Thayer
German: Thayermöwe
Spanish: Gaviota Esquimal
Taxonomy: Larus thayeri W. S. Brooks, 1915, Banks Island.
A highly controversial and variable taxon, alternatively treated as a race of L. argentatus or of L. glaucoides. Interbreeds with L. g. kumlieni in N Hudson Bay and E Baffin I, prompting some to treat it as a race of L. glaucoides. Although seemingly random pairing occurred in N Hudson Bay, a deficit of intermediate plumages suggested that post-mating isolation may exist. Pending further hybridization studies, thayeri is best treated as a discrete species. Merging it with L. glaucoides would make latter species undefinable; moreover, other species fre.. View all taxonomy...
A highly controversial and variable taxon, alternatively treated as a race of L. argentatus or of L. glaucoides. Interbreeds with L. g. kumlieni in N Hudson Bay and E Baffin I, prompting some to treat it as a race of L. glaucoides. Although seemingly random pairing occurred in N Hudson Bay, a deficit of intermediate plumages suggested that post-mating isolation may exist. Pending further hybridization studies, thayeri is best treated as a discrete species. Merging it with L. glaucoides would make latter species undefinable; moreover, other species frequently hybridize in some localities (e.g. L. occidentalis and L. glaucescens), and consistency would demand that they also be merged. Monotypic.
Distribution: N Canada, from Banks I E to N Hudson Bay and N Baffin I (E to vicinity of Home Bay), N through Ellesmere I to W Greenland (near Thule). Winters on Pacific coast, from British Columbia to Baja California.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
-
A lateral view of a first winter bird preening on a beach Locality Ventura County, California, USA (United States) (Monotypic species)
Don DesJardin 31 October 2007 3 years ago 21 sec 4.6 -
An adult bird walking on the ground Locality Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada (Monotypic species)
David Quinn 31 October 1997 4 years ago 16 sec 4.1 -
A juvenile bird preening and shaking its pumage Locality Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada (Monotypic species)
David Quinn 31 October 1997 4 years ago 41 sec 4.1 -
adult flying quarter speed slow motion Locality Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota, USA (United States) (Monotypic species)
Malcolm Mark Swan 11 January 2010 2 years ago 1 min 16 sec 4 -
adult hiding behind herring gulls Locality Duluth, St. Louis County, Minnesota, USA (United States) (Monotypic species)
Malcolm Mark Swan 11 January 2010 2 years ago 37 sec 3.7
-
Adult at nest
Locality Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada
Martin Hale 18 August 2004 2 weeks ago ADDED LAST MONTH 3.4 -
basic adult showing wing pattern
Locality Winthrop Harbor, Lake County, Illinois, USA (United States) (Monotypic species)
Michael Retter 1 February 2009 2 years ago 3.3
- No sound recordings available yet
Email this page