Heuglin's Gull L heuglini

Heuglin's Gull - Larus heuglini

1-3: © Visa Rauste, 14-06-02. Syktyvkar, Russia.

A rather sturdy individual with a heavy bill, probably a male. The jizz is striking and, as with most of the previous birds, more reminiscent of cachinnans than graellsii. This bird is a prime example of how well preserved juvenile feathers may look in 2cy Heuglin's Gull in the summer of their second calendar year. The juvenile rectrices have lost their white tips, but the (juvenile) secondaries and inner primaries still look like fresh. It shows two types of non-juvenile feathers: the plain pale grey-brown feathers with large white fringes seen in many of the previous birds, plus boldly pattered inner lesser coverts; note that most of the greater coverts still are juvenile.