THE IDENTIFICATION OF AZOREAN GULL

Some outstanding questions:
1) Is Azorean Gull a genuine taxon? Is there are diagnostic suite of features which can seperate Azorean Gull from
a) other Atlantic Gulls
b) Yellow-legged Gull
c) Lesser Black-backed Gull

2) How reliable is the 'shin pad' feature as a tool in the identification of Azorean Gull?

3) If a diagnostic suite of features can be found, can Azorean Gull be identified in all age classes?


Information required:
1) Descriptions and specimen photo collection of Madeiran, Canary Island and Continental European Atlantic Gull populations in all age classes.
2) The de-limitation of the contact zone between Atlantic Gulls breeding on the Iberian Peninsula and Yellow-legged Gulls breeding on the Atlantic coast? Where is the boundary. What is the nature of this boundary.
3)Extensive photo specimen collection displaying a very large sample of the variation shown within Yellow-legged Gull across it's entire range.
4)Genetic data from all populations
5)Vocalisation and behavioural/ecological data from all populations