Larus marinus
Status: Rare regular spring and fall migrant statewide. Rare casual summer and winter visitor Keith and Lincoln Cos.
Documentation: Photograph: 20 Jan-18 Mar 1996, first basic Lake McConaughy, Keith Co (Brogie 1997).
Taxonomy: No subspecies are recognized (Gill et al 2022).
Changes since 2000: There are no Nebraska records prior to 1988, This species is expanding its North American range, including the first known breeding in 1954 on the Great Lakes (Olsen and Larsson 2004). Nebraska observations have increased accordingly; of about 55 records in all (as of Oct 2023), 42 have occurred since 2000.
Spring: Feb 12, 15, 15 <<<>>> Mar 29, Apr 3, 5
Only five of the 22 spring records are of adults.
Summer: There are two reports from Lake McConaughy of birds which apparently remained for some time. A first basic first noted 20 Jan-18 Mar 1996 (Brogie 1997), was likely the same bird seen there in first alternate 4 Aug 1996 (Brogie 1997), in second basic 15-17 Feb 1997 (Grzybowski 1996), and as a “third year” 12-13 Apr 1997 (not accepted by NOURC, Brogie 1998). Another first cycle bird appeared at Lake McConaughy 19 Jan 2004 (Brogie 2005), and was likely the same bird seen there as a first alternate 15-16 May and 19-20 Jun 2004 (Silcock 2004a, 2004b).
Fall: Sep 11, 14, 15 <<<>>> Dec 16, 18, 19
There are 23 records; the earliest 11 records, through 31 Oct, are of adults, whereas 9 of the other 12 are of immatures.
Winter: The six accepted records, mostly immatures, are from either Sutherland Reservoir or Lake McConaughy. This species tends to return to or remain at favored winter localities; the Feb 1988 (see Spring) and Jan 1989 (below) records are probably the same individual, as may be a first basic bird at Lake McConaughy 20 Jan-18 Mar 1996 (below), 4 Aug 1996, and 15-17 Feb 1997 (see Summer). An adult at Lake McConaughy 16 Feb 2008 (see Spring) may have been the same adult that was there 14 Sep 2007 (see Fall).
31 Dec 2005-2 Jan 2006 second basic Lake McConaughy (Silcock 2006)
2 Jan 2024 adult Lake McConaughy (Mlodinow, eBird.org)
3-31 Jan 2009 Lake McConaughy (Silcock 2009)
14 Jan 1989 immature Sutherland Reservoir (Grenon 1990)
19 Jan 2002 second basic Lake McConaughy (Silcock 2002)
20 Jan-18 Mar 1996 immature Lake McConaughy (Brogie 1997).
Images
Abbreviations
NOURC: Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee
Acknowledgement
Photograph (top) of a Great Black-backed Gull (center, standing) with Herring and Ring-billed Gulls at Branched Oak Lake, Lancaster Co 15 Feb 2015 by Michael Willison.
Literature Cited
Brogie, M.A. 1997. 1996 (Eighth) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 65: 115-126.
Brogie, M.A. 1998. 1997 (Ninth) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 66: 147-159.
Brogie, M.A. 2005. 2004 (16th) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 73: 78-84.
Gill, F., D. Donsker, and P. Rasmussen (Eds). 2022. IOC World Bird List (v 12.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.12.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
Grenon, A.G. 1990. 1990 (Third) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 58: 90-97.
Grzybowski, J.A. 1996. Southern Great Plains Region. Field Notes 50: 296-300.
Olsen, K.M., and H. Larsson. 2004. Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Silcock, W.R. 2002. Winter Field report, December 2001- February 2002. NBR 70: 2-21.
Silcock, W.R. 2004a. Spring Field Report, March-May 2004. NBR 72: 38-58.
Silcock, W.R. 2004b. Summer Field Report, June-July 2004. NBR 72: 78-93.
Silcock, W.R. 2006. Winter Field Report, December 2005 to February 2006. NBR 74: 4-15.
Silcock, W.R. 2009. Winter Field Report, December 2008 to February 2009. NBR 77: 18-34.
Recommended Citation
Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2024. Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus ). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org
Birds of Nebraska – Online
Updated 10 Mar 2024