> (snip)
Tim E.:> >Just to fuel the gull fire a little more, in southcentral Alaska the
> >common hybrid is Glaucous-winged x Herring.
>
Michael Pr.> Which race of Herring Gull (HEGU)? If the likely Asian HEGU race, _Larus
> argentatus vegae_, then some of the hybrids will be darker-backed, and may
> resemble WEGU X GWGU more than HEGU X GWGU or even be similar to Slay-backed
> Gull _L. schistisagus_.

No, I believe these are mostly L. a. smithsonianus x GWGU. L.a. vegae stays
farther west generally.

Mike Pa: >As long as I'm at it, I'd like to put in my two cents regarding this "Olympic"
>Gull thing. It smells of "Northwestern" Crow. It's inexact language which
>may be permissible between birding pals (as would terms like "tail", "snog"
>and "geebhaw"), but they have no place in the general communication process.
>"Olympic" Gull doesn't exist even as a cleanly identifiable hybrid type.
>I think we should stick to the terminology "mostly-Western", WestxGW and
>"mostly GW" when describing the motley assortment of "Northern Pink-footed"
>Gulls that grace our Pacific shores and garbage dumps.

Two issues here: 1) the general communication process is how change is
effected. If someone has no idea what an "Olympic Gull" is, then they will
ask for enlightenment. Saying it has no place in general discussion is
counterproductive. 2) As someone who has crossed the N. Pacific several
times and has a passing acquaintance with all the species discussed here,
I can say that it is a misrepresentation to think of these species as
"garbage dump" birds. Yes, a fair proportion of the population hangs out
at the local rubbish chowder house, but a fair amount also ply the seas far
from landfall. One day we may even have some idea just what the ratios are.

As for naming the superspecies (which this complex surely is), I prefer
North Pacific Gull since it is more representative geographically.

- Jack




Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca