Mike et Al,
Larus mongoliicus is on the Index of Organism Names http://
www.organismnames.com/
so the name is recognised by the International Commission on
Zoological Names. This would indicate that L. mongolicus has been
accepted as a full species. Clements 6th still lists it as L.vegae
mongolicus and the on-line doesn't even list L. vegae. Of Monroe &
Sibley 1993 I dont know. A very interesting taxonomic exercise, this,
and an exciting first for Australia.
Carl Clifford
On 18/02/2008, at 11:36 PM, Mike Carter wrote:
Bob Inglis asked
Could someone please tell me which species (or sub-species) is
being considered as the likely identity of the 'unusual' gull
presently being stalked at Cooktown?
Nikolas Haass tried to answer your question Bob but not very simply,
confusing all of us even more by introducing Baraba Gull into the
debate, another one you and I have never heard of. You may though
have heard of Steppe Gull another name for it. Mind you, until this
gull appeared in Cooktown, I hadn't!
The problem is Bob, there are some seriously misguided souls around
(one I know has the initials TT and is a Queenslander like you) that
laud and admire splitters, when you and I know they should be
condemned! Pathetic isn't it? Being a birder is hard enough without
their activities adding to our problems.
My wife and I have just arrived home from braving the floods (we
drove through water rushing across one bridge), and like numerous
others I photographed the gull from all angles. Consequently I'm too
eager for bed to deal thoroughly with this now but I am keen to know
what to call this new tick. So briefly, this is how I see it.
To date, it has been BARC's policy to use Sibley and Monroe as
the Checklist for species new to Australia. Don't have that handy but
if we were to use the slightly more modern Monroe & Sibley's (1993),
A World Checklist, then the bird is simply the good old Herring Gull,
Larus argentatus, albeit the sub-species 'vegae' called Vega Gull. It
doesn't look anything like the European version though. If we follow
or adopt a more modern checklist, such as Clements 6th edition
(2007), then the bird is split off as the Eastern Siberian Gull,
Larus vegae, which has two subspecies, this being probably the race
mongolicus. The misguided among us consider this taxa a full species
and call it a Mongolian Gull. The photo of a first winter bird of
this taxa in Shimba's (2007) Photographic Guide to the Birds of Japan
is a dead ringer for the Cooktown individual. There is just one
problem; the tail pattern seems to better fit the nominate vegae!
Both winter in SE China.
And yes Laurie, BARC frequently consults overseas experts.
Mike Carter
30 Canadian Bay Road
Mount Eliza VIC 3930
Tel (03) 9787 7136
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