Mew Gull- Stormmeeuw (L. canus)

(last update: 18-10-2005)

Mew Gull canus adult, March 16 2003, Etaples / Boulogne-sur-Mer, France (50.42N,1.34E).

Mew Gull has a partial moult in spring. It starts in February and is completed by April, leaving birds in so-called "adult summer" plumage. The head turns white, with a red orbital ring. The bill turns all yellow or yellowish-green. In summer, head, neck, tail and under-parts are completely white. The upper-parts are medium grey. The outer primaries are black with large white tips. The inner primaries and secondaries are pale grey with a white tip, creating a white trailing edge. The white crescents on the tertials are very broad.
Adult brachyrhychus normally have a black sub-terminal band on P5-P10. Between this black band and the grey centre, a large white spot is visible both from above and below on P5-P7, creating a string of pearls on these primaries. P9 and P10 show a large white mirror.