Branta Issues > Issue №4 (2001)

Morphological variation and sex dimorphism in adult Аzov Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans сachinnans.

Neubauer G., Koshelev A.I., Koshelev V.A., Zagalska M.

Gulls were trapped in the breeding colony on islands of Molochny Liman, a salt reservoir near the north Azov seashore (south of Zaporizhzhia Region, Ukraine). The total of measured cachinnans is 80 birds, more than 3500 nestlings were ringed. For trapped birds a total of 28 parameters were taken (14 metrical and 14 colour features). Blood samples were obtained from the most of the captured birds for further genetical analysis, and pictures were taken to record coloration (colour of eyes, legs, mantle, etc.). There were revealed reliable differences between males and females in all metrical parameters (males were larger and heavier), the range of individual variability and occurrence frequency of certain traits in L. с. cahinnans compared with L. с. michahellis и L. argentatus. In the studied colony L. с. Michahellis constituted 5%. Other birds, according to all parameters, belonged to nominate subspecies L. с. cachinnans.