Pallas’s Gull
Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus (Pallas, 1773) (1, 0)
Photo © By Dhruvaraj S from India - Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus - KadaundiUploaded by Fæ, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29116420
STATUS
Eurasia. Monotypic.
OVERVIEW
Formerly known as Great Black-headed Gull.
A review of five records was carried out with just the Devon individual from 1859 surviving (K. Vinicombe & P. J. Hopkin, British Birds 86: 201-205).
A record from the Clyde Islands not in the review was not mentioned by the BOU (1971).
RECORD
1). 1859 Devon Exmouth, adult, shot, late May or early June, now at Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter.
(F. W. L. Ross, Annals & Magazine of Natural History 4: 467; F. W. L. Ross, Zoologist 1860: 6860-61; Harting, 1872; Yarrell, 1871-85; BOU, 1883; Pidsley, 1891; Witherby, 1920-24; W. P. Lowe, Ibis 1939: 75; Moore, 1969; K. Vinicombe & P. J. Hopkin, British Birds 86: 201-205, plates 40-41).
History F. W. L. Ross of Topsham (1859) in the Annals & Magazine of Natural History, Vol. IV. p. 467, dated 24th November, 1859, says: 'Among the many objects of natural history which have been discovered during the past months may be noticed the following remarkable bird. This bird, to which may be applied the term of the giant of the Black-headed Gulls, was shot by a boatman, Mr. William Pine, while employed by W. Taylor, Esq., Bridgwater, who was engaged in fishing for bass in the river off Exmouth, about the end of May or beginning of June last; it was in company with a flock of ordinary Gulls. Its remarkable size and appearance attracted the attention of the boatman, who, having his gun with him, singled it out, and fortunately obtained the bird, which has since been kindly presented, by the above-mentioned gentleman, to the writer.
The usual locality of this bird is the shores of the Caspian Sea, but it is also recorded as having been found on the shores of the Red Sea, the Ganges, and the Ionian Islands, as well as accidentally on the margins of the Danube, in Hungary. One is led to suppose that it is by no means a common bird, as examples are rarely seen in collections....Head entirely, and part of neck, pure black; the rest of neck, beneath the body, upper tail-coverts, tail, ends of scapulars and secondaries pure white; the rest of the upper surface of a pale plumbeous grey; quills pure white, with the ends black and the tips white, which latter colour is more prominent on the first quill, while the second has the black also divided irregularly with white near the end; a small white mark above and beneath the eyes. Bill at its base livid yellow, with a crimson ring-like spot near the tip, which is fuscous yellow; and the feet fuscous red. When first obtained, the circles round the eyes were red. Length, 25 inches; wings, 18 inches 6 lines; tarsi, 3 inches; bare part of thigh, 1 inch 9 lines; bill from gape, 3⅝ inches, from forehead 2 inches 6 lines.'
F. W. L. Ross of Topsham (1860) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XVIII. pp. 6860-61 [Obligingly communicated by G. R. Gray] dated 24th November 1859, says: 'Among the many objects of Natural History discovered during the past months may be noticed the following remarkable bird. This bird, to which may be applied the term of the giant of blackheaded gulls was shot by a boatman, Mr. William Pine, while employed by William Taylor Esq., of Bridgwater, who was engaged in fishing for bass in the river off Exmouth, about the end of May or beginning of June last; it was in company with a flock of ordinary gulls.
Its remarkable size and appearance attracted the attention of the boatman, who, having his gun with him, singled it out, and fortunately obtained the bird, which has since been kindly presented, by the above-mentioned gentleman, to the writer....Head entirely, and part of neck pure black; the rest of neck, beneath the body, upper tail-coverts, tail, ends of scapulars and secondaries pure white; the rest of upper surface of a plumbeous-grey; quills pure white, with the ends black and the tips white, which latter colour is more prominent on the first quill, while the second has the black also divided irregularly with white near the end; a small white mark above and beneath the eyes. Bill at its base livid yellow, with a crimson ring-like spot near the tip, which is fuscous-yellow; and the feet fuscous-red. When first obtained the circles round the eyes were red. Length 25 inches; wings 18 inches 6 lines; tarsi 3 inches; bare part of thigh 1 inch 9 lines; bill from gape three and five eighths inches, from forehead 2 inches 6 lines.'
Harting (1872: 175) adds: 'In the Exeter Museum, where he examined it on 22nd September 1870.'
Howard Saunders (1882-84 (3): 610, 4th ed.) in Yarrell's British Birds, adds: 'It is now in the Exeter Museum, where it has been examined by many ornithologists, including the Editor. It is an adult in full summer plumage, and although its appearance on our shores is remarkable, the bird cannot be suspected of having escaped from confinement, for no instance is known of its having been kept in captivity.'
Admitted nationally in the first List of British Birds (BOU 1883: 190).
Pidsley (1891: 161) says: 'Dr. Bree took occasion to figure the species in his Birds of Europe (Vol. V. p. 85) from a drawing of the Devonshire specimen executed by the Rev. F. Wright.'
Willoughby P. Lowe (1939) in The Ibis, Vol. LXXXI. p. 75, under 'The Bird Collections in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter', says: 'Great Black-headed Gull, Exmouth, Devon, May or June 1859, F. W. L. Ross.'
Comment The skin is still at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter [2003].
NOT PROVEN
0). 1844 Clyde Islands Arran, shot, 5th June.
(Eds., Ibis 5: 477-478).
[Not in BOU, 1971].
History In an Editorial in The Ibis (1863) Vol. V. pp. 477-478, about the collection of Dr. Martin Barry, which was bought by J. H. Gurney, they say: '...that the "Great Black-headed Gull (Larus icthyaetus) was obtained by himself on the Island of Arran, June 5th, 1844", and was "a splendid acquisition to his cabinet"....It is evident, therefore, we think, if this list is authentic, that the localities and dates attached to the specimens in the sale list of Dr. Martin Barry's collections were not the invention of the person who drew up the catalogue, as our correspondent "Oophilus's" letter seems to imply might have been the case, but were really taken from the deceased Doctor's printed list and note-books. We are not ourselves, however, of opinion that they are to be depended upon on this account.'
0). 1910 Sussex Near Telscombe Cliffs, seen, 4th January.
(Walpole-Bond, 1938; Shrubb, 1979).
[K. Vinicombe & P. J. Hopkin, British Birds 86: 201-205].
History Walpole-Bond (1938 (3): 273-274) says: 'On 4th January 1910, whilst strolling along the beach not far from Telscombe Cliffs, I detected on the sea close inshore, about a hundred yards ahead, a solitary Larus, large and grey-backed. Even at that range (in those days my eyesight was almost telescopic) I decided that it was no adult Herring Gull. It had raised its wings once or twice and certain markings thereon had made me suspicious.
An immediate inspection through glasses - and again the bird opportunely raised its wings - showed that the secondaries were very conspicuously pointed with white, so much so, in fact, that a white band was suggested, and the outer primaries bravely barred black and white, instead of being black with white tips as in argentatus. I could not get a clear view of the bill, but such as I did get told me that it was at least yellowish. The legs, as the stranger rose about sixty yards off on my approach, seemed to be of a greenish hue and the web membranes of the feet yellowish-orange - the adult Herring Gull, remember, has flesh-coloured legs and feet. That this bird was a mature Great Black-headed Gull in winter plumage I have no doubt whatsoever. I do wish, all the same, that it had been in summer dress, i.e., black-headed in more than name, as then no one could possibly cavil at the notice. As it is, many may.'
0). 1911 Sussex St Leonards-on-Sea, adult, 24th March.
(Griffith, 1927; Walpole-Bond, 1938).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History Walpole-Bond (1938 (3): 274) says: 'According to Mr A. F. Griffith (Cat. B. Dyke Mus., B'ton. 1927) - and he was particularly shrewd in such matters - the history of the next Sussex ichthyaetus (a nearly adult specimen, once in the Tring museum, but now in America) is unauthentic. But in any case it is not, I had better append its reputed data, viz., West St Leonards-on-Sea, 24th March 1911.'
Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1911 Sussex Rye Bay, seen, July.
(H. W. Ford-Lindsay, British Birds 9: 70; Walpole-Bond, 1938).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History H. W. Ford-Lindsay (1915) in British Birds, Vol. IX. p. 70, says: '...Four years ago I heard of one being seen in Rye Bay. It was in July, 1911, and after being in the locality for over a week evidently escaped the guns, as I did not hear of it being obtained anywhere in the British Isles.'
Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1913 Sussex Cooden, Bexhill-on-Sea, adult male, 2nd March.
(N. F. Ticehurst, Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist 4: 37).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History N. F. Ticehurst (1929) in the Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist, Vol. IV. p. 37, says: 'Two adult males shot at Cooden on March 2nd, 1913, and at Broomhill, Romney Marsh, on July 13th, 1917, are now in the Dyke Road Museum, Brighton, from the Vauncey Crewe collection. Neither of them have been previously recorded in our Journal.'
Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1915 Sussex Jury's Gap, adult male, shot, 25th June, now at Leicester Arts & Museums (Acc. No. L.Z252.1982.501.0).
(H. W. Ford-Lindsay, British Birds 9: 69-70; W. Ruskin Butterfield, Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist 2: 202; A. H. J. Harrop, British Birds 111: 228-230).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History H. W. Ford-Lindsay (1915) in British Birds, Vol. IX. pp. 69-70, says: 'An example of the Great Black-headed Gull made its appearance in Rye Harbour early in May, 1915, and was seen on several occasions by the "lookers" between Rye Harbour, in Sussex, and Jury's Gap in Kent. No doubt the bird's range extended farther east and also west, as it was in company with the large number of Black-headed Gulls that breed at Lydd, and move to and fro following the shoals of fish. On June 26th I was shown the bird in the flesh, it having been shot the previous day at Jury's Gap, so the record belongs to Kent. It was a male in splendid plumage, and when I saw it there was a decided pink flush over the white of the breast, which will of course disappear.'
Comment Locality is in Sussex (Sussex Bird Report 1953: 5). Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1917 Sussex Broomhill, adult male, 13th July.
(N. F. Ticehurst, Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist 4: 37).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History N. F. Ticehurst (1929) in the Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist, Vol. IV. p. 37, says: 'Two adult males shot at Cooden on March 2nd, 1913, and at Broomhill, Romney Marsh, on July 13th, 1917, are now in the Dyke Road Museum, Brighton, from the Vauncey Crewe collection. Neither of them have been previously recorded in our Journal.'
Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1924 Dorset Poole Bay, Hampshire, seen, late November to early December.
(W. Parkinson Curtis, British Birds 19: 28-29; Cohen & Taverner, 1972).
[K. Vinicombe & P. J. Hopkin, British Birds 86: 201-205].
History W. Parkinson Curtis (1925) in British Birds, Vol. XIX. pp. 28-29, says: 'At the request of Dr. F. G. Penrose I am sending you note of the fact that at the latter end of November and beginning of December, 1924, there was a single specimen of the Great Black-headed Gull (Larus ichthyaetus) in Poole Bay - it mainly confined itself to the western side of Bournemouth Pier between that and Durley Chine; it was fairly tame. I had many opportunities of being within fifty yards of it and it noticeably kept to itself; it did not mix with the other Gulls, nor would it come to be fed as the others on the beach will do. I tried it with bread but it would not touch it, and the only food I saw it take was self-caught fish. I saw it catch sprats on several occasions.'
0). 1932 Norfolk Cromer, 2nd to 9th March.
(B. B. Riviere, British Birds 26: 392).
[K. Vinicombe & P. J. Hopkin, British Birds 86: 201-205].
History B. B. Riviere (1933) in British Birds, Vol. XXVI. p. 329, says: 'Between March 2nd and 9th Mr. Henry Cole watched almost daily a Gull, feeding with Black-headed Gulls at Cromer between the pier and the sewer outlet, which he identified as belonging to the above species. His attention was first called to it as being something "out of the way" by a fisherman, C. Braconbury by name, who is a keen observer of birds. Mr. Cole described it as appearing about the size of a Herring Gull, but with a more slender neck. The black hood was incomplete. "Mantle darker grey than that of a Black-headed Gull. Wings more crossed than a Herring-Gull's, and with white on primaries more pronounced than in a Black-headed Gull. Bill light orange with a bar and much thicker at the tip than a Black-headed Gull's. Legs yellow". This is a new species for Norfolk, but from the above description by an observer of Mr. Cole's experience, one must, I think, accept this record as authentic.'
0). 1932 Sussex Hove, adult, 9th August.
(Walpole-Bond, 1938; Shrubb, 1979).
[K. Vinicombe & P. J. Hopkin, British Birds 86: 201-205].
History Walpole-Bond (1938 (3): 275) says: 'On the evening of 9th August 1932, as I was sitting on the Hove promenade, a Great Black-headed Gull in summer plumage passed me within about seventy yards. In any case I should have felt certain of its identity, but I was glad all the same that flying just behind it was ridibundus, for thus was assurance rendered doubly sure.'
