Herring Gull- Zilvermeeuw (argentatus & argenteus)

(last update: 6-2-2007)

Herring Gull 3cy, December 21 2001, Brouwersdam, the Netherlands (51.45N,03.51E).

A rather small argentatus with the new scapulars a shade darker grey than in Dutch argenteus. In the third generation primaries, the inner primaries still have the basal half paler, but the white tips are obviously demarcated at p5 and p6. P10 shows a small mirror. Compared to most other 3cy Herring Gulls present (argenteus), the moult stage in the upper-parts is slightly delayed with all the tertials strongly patterned, lacking grey feathers. Quite some 3cy argenteus have at least a few upper tertials grey by December. The inner median and greater were probably moulted as long ago as the tertials and show the same pattern. Compared to 2cy birds, the wing appears much greyer by now with adult-like feathers in lesser, median and greater coverts. The exact moult sequence is hard to detect, coverts have been replaced in random order. The scapular region is predominantly adult-like grey.
Note the pale yellow iris and the faint vermiculated brownish pattern at the tips of the inner secondaries.