Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus)

(last update: March 12, 2015)

Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus veltula) sub-adult, February 16 2015, Maputo, Mozambique. Picture: Gary Allport.

Bird in complete moult: P1 growing, P2-P3 missing, P4-P10 old. No mirror on P10.
Note dark iris and red bleeding up onto the upper mandible. Greyish legs with long exposed tibia. Aged as sub-adult for the presence of some brownish wing-coverts, but more so as there appear to be some brown coverts in the underwing panel when this bird takes off (especially underwing primary coverts).