Mew Gull Larus canus canus; heinei; kamtschatschensis; brachyrhynchus

(last update: March 12, 2012)

Mew Gull canus 2cy, January 02 2011, Zijldijk - Warmond, The Netherlands. Picture: Maarten van Kleinwee.

Second-calendar year Mew Gull in first-winter (pre-basic, first cycle) plumage. Almost all of the mantle feathers and scapulars on this individual have been replaced by second-generation grey feathers, while only a few remaining feathers are still the brown, first-generation feathers. The wing feathers are also first-generation and are predominantly brown, with the light-grey secondaries inner webs of the inner primaries creating a light rectangle. A few dark markings can be seen on the upper tail coverts, while the tail itself has a dark subterminal bar. Dark markings can also be seen on the outer tail feathers.