Re: Common Gull

Eugene J. Scarpulla (gscarp@erols.com)
Fri, 02 Jan 1998 21:55:09 -0500


Norm Saunders wrote:
> 
> Phil Davis writes:
> 
> > The Brits have split the Mew Gull into Mew and Common Gull.  It is
> > expected that the AOU will soon follow suit.
> >
> > Technically, as of today, you would tick it off as a Mew Gull ...
> > but note the difference so when the AOU splits it, you can "claim"
> > it.
> 
> Phil,
> 
> What is the status of Common/Mew Gull in the U.S.?  Are current U.S.
> records all of one species or the other, or a mixed bag?  Or do we
> know?
> 
> And in the Yellow Book I see only two records of this gull, one in
> January and one in February, in the Harford/Cecil County area.
> Again, do we know which of the two species were involved?
> 
> I was reading about Common Gull last evening in Grant.  Do you know
> offhand which of the races mentioned in that book will make up the
> Mew Gull split?
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> Norm
> 
> ===============
> Norm Saunders
> Colesville, MD
> osprey@ari.net___________________

Norm,

The Yellow Book report of February 6, 1994 was a first-winter Common 
Gull, Larus canus canus, that I identified at Conowingo Dam. This report 
is not accepted by the Records Committee.

Gene