Memorandum to:         The Director of Birds Australia

 

From:                           Birds Australia Rarities Committee (BARC)

 

Date:                            13th February 2008

 

 

Voting Members:         Andrew Silcocks            Jamie Matthew

Mike Carter                   John Hatch

                                    Rohan Clarke                 Tony Palliser

                                    Danny Rogers                Glenn Holmes

                       

cc.                                                       

 

 

Submission No 521: Laughing Gull Larus atricilla Cairns, QLD. 12th – 13th February 2007 (Unpublished) Submitted by: Phil Gregory.

 

This submission concerns the sighting of a ‘first winter’ Laughing Gull from the Cairns waterfront, QLD on the 13th February 2007 having been found initially the previous evening by Frank Harrison.

 

The ensuing description and photographs confirmed the identification and safely ruled out the very similar Franklin’s Gull L. pipixcan. The bird was described as “essentially a dark immature gull with some retained brown juvenile feathers on the secondaries. Structurally only slightly bigger than Silver Gull, but the long, quite heavy dark and slightly decurved bill was supportive for Laughing Gull. As was the mantle, nape and hind crown which was greyish with a whitish forehead.

 

Members unanimously agreed with the analysis. However, due to the age of the bird and to some degree the quality of the photographs the identification was not that straightforward. However, the shape of the bill described and the head and neck pattern featuring an indistinct ‘hood’ at the rear of the crown and the dark nape revealed in the pictures are supportive as is the presence of a broad dark subterminal tail band and overall attenuated appearance (very long wings).

 

This is the 8th record of Laughing Gull to be accepted by the committee and interestingly this is 4th time this species has been recorded from Cairns.

 

 

References and Bibliography:

 

·       Cramp, S. (1983), The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. 3, Waders to Gulls, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

·       Fisher, K. & Fisher, L. (1989), ‘Laughing Gull Larus atricilla: A New Record for Australia’ , Australian Bird Watcher, 13, 34-35. 

·       Grant, P.J. (1982), Gulls, a guide to identification, Poyser, Calton, Staffordshire.

 

Verdict: Accepted

 

 

Tony Palliser

Chairman, Birds Australia Rarities Committee