Larus fuscus

Larus fuscus (Information about this image)

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Cladus: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Neoaves
Ordo: Charadriiformes
Subordo: Lari

Familia: Laridae
Subfamilia: Larinae
Genus: Larus
Species: Larus fuscus
Subspecies: L. f. barabensis – L. f. fuscus – L. f. graellsii – L. f. heuglini – L. f. intermedius
Name

Larus fuscus Linnaeus, 1758

References

Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio Decima, Reformata. Tomus I. Holmiæ (Stockholm): impensis direct. Laurentii Salvii. 824 pp. DOI: 10.5962/bhl.title.542 BHL p. 136 BHL Reference page.

Vernacular names
Afrikaans: Kleinswartrugmeeu
aragonés: Gaviota fosca
العربية: نورس أغبس
asturianu: Gavilueta Escura
azərbaycanca: Beligara qağayısı
беларуская: Клуша
български: Малка черногърба чайка
brezhoneg: Gouelan kein du
català: Gavià fosc
čeština: Racek žlutonohý
Cymraeg: Gwylan Gefnddu Leiaf
dansk: Sildemåge
Deutsch: Heringsmöwe
Ελληνικά: Μελανόγλαρος
English: Lesser Black-backed Gull
Esperanto: Malhela mevo
español: Gaviota sombría
eesti: Tõmmukajakas
euskara: Kaio ilun
فارسی: کاکایی پشت‌سیاه کوچک
suomi: Selkälokki
føroyskt: Likka
Nordfriisk: Hiarangskub
français: Goéland brun
Gaeilge: Droimneach Beag
Gàidhlig: Faoileag Bheag
galego: Gaivota escura
Gaelg: Foillan Saggyrt
עברית: שחף שחור
Kreyòl ayisyen: Ti Mòv do nwa
magyar: Heringsirály
հայերեն: Ծովաորոր փոքր
íslenska: Sílamáfur
italiano: Zafferano
日本語: ニシセグロカモメ
ქართული: კლუშა-თოლია
қазақша: Көк шағала
한국어: 줄무늬노랑발갈매기
кыргызча: Деңиз кидик чардагы
Lëtzebuergesch: Kleng Mantelméiw
lietuvių: Silkinis kiras
latviešu: Reņģu kaija
македонски: Мал црногрб галеб
монгол: Бархираа цахлай
Bahasa Melayu: Burung Camar Cina
Malti: Gawwija Dahrha Iswed
Plattdüütsch: Lüttjen Manteldreger
Nederlands: Kleine Mantelmeeuw
norsk nynorsk: Sildemåse
norsk: Sildemåke
polski: Mewa żółtonoga
پنجابی: نکا کالی کنڈ آلا گل
português do Brasil: Gaivota-da-asa-escura
português: Gaivota-de-asa-escura
rumantsch: Muetta fustga
română: Pescăruş negricios
русский: Клуша
davvisámegiella: Sildegáiru
slovenčina: Čajka tmavá
slovenščina: Rjavi galeb
shqip: Pulëbardha mesatare shpinëzezë
српски / srpski: Mrki galeb - Мрки галеб
svenska: Silltrut
Kiswahili: Shakwe Mgongo-mweusi
ไทย: นกนางนวลหลังดำเล็ก
Türkçe: Kara sırtlı martı
українська: Мартин чорнокрилий
Tiếng Việt: Mòng biển nhỏ lưng đen
中文: 小黑背鷗

The lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) is a large gull that breeds on the Atlantic coasts of Europe. It is migratory, wintering from the British Isles south to West Africa. However, it has increased dramatically in North America, especially along the east coast. Formerly just a winter visitor to North America, it has increased and occurs in large numbers some winters and birds are now recorded year-round.[2] However, there is serious concern about decline in many parts of its range. The species is on the UK Amber List[3] because the UK is home to 40 per cent of the European population and more than half of these are found at fewer than ten breeding sites.[3]
Taxonomy

The lesser black-backed gull was one of the many species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, and it still bears its original name Larus fuscus.[4] The scientific name is from Latin. Larus appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird, and fuscus meant black or brown.[5]
Subspecies

The five recognized subspecies are:

L. f. graellsii Brehm, 1857: Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, British Isles, western Europe - mantle dark grey
L. f. intermedius Schiøler, 1922: Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, southwest Sweden and western Norway - mantle sooty black
L. f. fuscus Linnaeus, 1758: northern Norway, Sweden and Finland to the White Sea - mantle jet black
L. f. heuglini Bree, 1876: northern Russia to north-central Siberia, known as Heuglin's gull, this was previously considered a separate species.
L. f. barabensis Johansen, 1960: central Asia

Description

The lesser black-backed gull is smaller than the European herring gull. The taxonomy of the herring gull / lesser black-backed gull complex is very complicated; different authorities recognise between two and eight species. This group has a ring species distribution around the Northern Hemisphere. Differences between adjacent forms in this ring are fairly small, but by the time the circuit is completed, the end members, herring gull and lesser black-backed gull, are clearly different species. The lesser black-backed gull measures 51–64 cm (20–25 in), 124–150 cm (49–59 in) across the wings, and weighs 452–1,100 g (0.996–2.425 lb), with the nominate race averaging slightly smaller than the other two subspecies.[6] Males, at an average weight of 824 g (1.817 lb), are slightly larger than females, at an average of 708 g (1.561 lb). Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 38 to 45 cm (15 to 18 in), the bill is 4.2 to 5.8 cm (1.7 to 2.3 in), and the tarsus is 5.2 to 6.9 cm (2.0 to 2.7 in).[7][8][9] A confusable species is the great black-backed gull. The lesser is a much smaller bird, with slimmer build, yellow rather than pinkish legs, and smaller white "mirrors" at the wing tips. The adults have black or dark grey wings (depending on race) and back. The bill is yellow with a red spot at which the young peck, inducing feeding (see fixed action pattern). The head is greyer in winter, unlike great black-backed gulls. Annual moult for adults begins between May and August and is not complete on some birds until November. Partial prebreeding moult occurs between January and April.[10]

Young birds have scaly black-brown upperparts and a neat wing pattern. They take four years to reach maturity. Identification from juvenile herring gulls is most readily done by the more solidly dark (unbarred) tertial feathers.

Their call is a "laughing" cry like that of the herring gull, but with a markedly deeper pitch.
Distribution

Lesser black-backed gulls have expanded their range westwards, first colonising Greenland in the 1980s. The species has not yet bred in the United States, although hybrid pairs with American herring gulls have been recorded twice.[2]
Breeding

This species breeds colonially on coasts and lakes, making a lined nest on the ground or a cliff. Normally, three eggs are laid. In some cities, the species nests within the urban environment, often in association with herring gulls.[11]
Eggs, collection Museum Wiesbaden
Feeding

They are omnivores like most Larus gulls, and they eat fish, insects, crustaceans, worms, starfish, molluscs, seeds, berries, small mammals, eggs, small birds, chicks, scraps, offal, and carrion.

References

BirdLife International (2019). "Larus fuscus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T22694373A155594163. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22694373A155594163.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Zawadzki, Lucinda C. (2021). "Predicting Source Populations of Vagrants Using Breeding Population Data: A Case Study of the Lesser Black-Backed Gull (Larus fuscus)". Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 9. doi:10.3389/fevo.2021.637452.
"Lesser Black Backed Gull Facts | Larus Fuscus". www.rspb.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata (in Latin). Vol. 1. Holmiae [Stockholm]: (Laurentii Salvii). p. 136.
Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 167, 219. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
"Lesser black-backed gull". All About Birds. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Olsen, Klaus Malling; Larsson, Hans (2004). Gulls: Of North America, Europe, and Asia. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0691119977.
Harrison, Peter (1991). Seabirds: An Identification Guide. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-395-60291-1.
Dunning, John B. Jr., ed. (1992). CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses. CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-8493-4258-5.
RSPB Handbook of British Birds (2014). UK ISBN 978-1-4729-0647-2
"The Urban Gull – a new phenomenon". Retrieved 15 September 2009.