Американская чайка Larus smithsonianus Coues, 1862 — новый вид фауны птиц России

Abstract

The American herring gull Larus smithsonianus Coues, 1862 inhabits most of the territory of North America. In Asia, the species has been recorded in Japan, South Korea and east China during winter, but there have been no sightings in Russia. This report provides information on the first documented record of the American herring gull in the Russian waters of the Sea of Okhotsk. An adult bird in basic plumage was photographed on 25 January 2015 at coordinates of 51º23’38”N, 154º45’00”E, 120 km from the south-west Kamchatka coast. The analysis of identification signs showed that all of them, without exception, correspond to the variability of the smithsonianus form breeding in the northeastern part of North America. The authenticity of the species identification was confirmed by the Faunistic Section within the Menzbir Ornithological Society.