Herring Gull - Zilvermeeuw (argentatus & argenteus)

(last update: 28 maart 2005)

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2 images: Herring Gull BYAS adult (argenteus), November 01 2004, Westkapelle, the Netherlands (51.33N 03.25E). Picture Pim Wolf.

An individual from the Belgian colour-ring program, probably ringed as adult at Zeebrugge (51.21N 03.11E) spring 2000 at the nest. The orbital ring is orange, as is commonly found in winter western argenteus. The primary moult score: P8 fully grown and P9 levels at P8. P10 at P7 length. Mirror on P9 relatively small and mirror on P10 merges with tip. The complete moult is almost finished. A typical West-European argenteus, with obvious fine head streaking and dark markings on the bill.

From June (often mid-May in France, Belgium and the Netherlands) to October, a complete moult will bring birds in so-called "adult winter" plumage. A new set of primaries will grow during the summer months and by late November, the average argenteus in the Netherlands and northern France has completely moulted all primaries. At the same time, the wing-covert moult is completed by the end of the month. 
In summer, the head is still largely white, but by September, most adults develop extensive 'winter streaking', in sub-adults strongly mottled brown contrasting with the white breast as in an executioner's hood. The scapular coverts are plain grey, lacking white crescents. The tertials show obvious white tips. The iris is yellow. The bill is yellow with a red gonydeal spot confined to the lower mandible. The orbital ring is yellow-orange in most argenteus

Primary Moult Score of adult Herring Gull (argenteus & argentatus) at Scheveningen, the Netherlands in November, ranked by date.

date > 03-11-00 11-11-00 14-11-01 20-11-00 28-11-00
P6 1 - - - -
P7 10 - 5 - -
P8 71 37 70 31 20
P9 23 38 80 60 60
P10 3 12 22 36 156
n (tot): 108 87 177 127 236
m (av): 8,16 8,71 8,67 9,04 9,58
95% CID: 0,13 0,15 0,11 0,13 0,08
SD (s): 0,66 0,70 0,73 0,73 0,64

n (tot): Total of individuals by date. Total this month, n: 735.
m (av): Average primary moult score by date.
95% CID: 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference.
SD (s): Standard deviation.

Note 1: by November, adults are selected by the plain grey greater primary coverts, large tips on the new primaries and the lack of immature features (thus limited black on the bill and no obvious pigmentation in the iris).

Note 2: in the summer period, the population Herring Gulls in the harbour of Scheveningen consist of local argenteus. From October onwards, figures are strongly influenced by increasing numbers of Scandinavian argentatus.