American Herring Gull (smithsonianus)

(last update: October 30, 2015)

Coordinators:
Amar Ayyash (US)
Bruce Mactavish (Canada)
Dave Brown (Canada)
Mars Muusse (Netherlands)

American Herring Gull 1cy December

Similar looking species

From an American point of view, it may be nice to compare local smithsonianus with argentatus from Europe and vegae from Asia. Here are some example birds.

Vega Gull vegae 1st cycle birds

above: Vega Gull (vegae) 1st cycle (2CY), January 31 2010, Choshi, Japan. Picture: Gullog. 1st gen flight feathers. No notching on tertials (and tertials darkest part of bird together with visible primaries) and very simple pattern on 2nd gen scaps.
below: Vega Gull (vegae) 1st cycle (2CY), January 31 2010, Choshi, Japan. Picture: Gullog. Very similar to European Herring Gull argenteus. Piano key pattern on GC but hardly any notching on TT.

above: Vega Gull (vegae) 1st cycle (2CY), January 25 2011, Choshi, Japan. Picture: Terry Townshend. Very similar to European Herring Gull. Dark secondary bar. Pale panel on inner primaries reaching outer secondaries S1-S3 and still innerweb of P6 largely pale.
below: Vega Gull (vegae) 1st cycle (2CY), January 27 2011, Choshi, Japan. Picture: Terry Townshend. Very similar to European Herring Gull. Tail pattern typical. Starting to gain some grey scapulars.

European Herring Gull argentatus 1st cycle birds

above: European Herring Gull argentatus argenteus YUAC 1st cycle (2CY), February 09 2013, Calais, France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage. Banded in Belgium. Very streaked and spotted on underparts and especiaaly in neck. Note vent without obvious spotting or lining.
below: European Herring Gull 1st cycle (2CY), February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. Picture: Mars Muusse. Base of rectrices largely white, with thin rows of spots, may form a line. Uppertail coverts very pale, dark markings much thinner than pale parts. No soft dark texture in neck and side of breast; instead underparts and neck with much lining and spotting.

below: European Herring Gull 1st cycle (1CY), December 03 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. Picture: Mars Muusse. Base of rectrices largely white, with thin rows of spots. Undertail coverts very pale, dark markings much thinner than pale parts. No soft dark texture; instead underparts and neck with much lining and spotting.

Banded birds

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY) 1056-91109 December 07 2013, New Buffalo, Berrien County, Michigan. Picture: Amar Ayyash.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY) 1106-13848 December 07 2013, New Buffalo, Berrien County, Michigan. Picture: Amar Ayyash.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY) 1106-27465 December 07 2013, New Buffalo, Berrien County, Michigan. Picture: Amar Ayyash.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1176-41708 1st cycle (1CY), December 22 2016, Fox River, Kane Co., Illinois. Picture: Amar Ayyash.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 69C 1st cycle (1CY), December 31 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 62H 1st cycle (1CY-2CY), September 2015 - February 2016, Stratford, CT. Picture: Donna Caporaso & Patrick Comins.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 25J 1st cycle (1CY), December 31 2016, Coney Island Beach. Picture: Clemens Gasser.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle) P64 December 29 2009, Shell Point, Wakulla Co., FL. Picture: Cole Fredricks.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY) V59 December 23 2012, Scituate harbor, MA. Picture: Liam Waters.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle V66 December 31 2012 - January 01 2013, Mustang Island, TX. Picture: Tripp Davenport.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY) X75 December 15 2013, MGosman's Parking Lot, Montauk Inlet, Suffolk County, New York. Picture: Angus Wilson.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle) BBH December 30 2012, Canal East End, Sandwich, Massachusetts. Picture: Steve Arena.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (2CY) X37 / 2V December 21 2012, Circle Beach, Madison, CT. Picture: Keith Mueller.

East coast birds

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 17 2006, Seabrook, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 17 2006, Seabrook, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 17 2006, Seabrook, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 17 2006, Seabrook, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 02 2009, Niagara River at Lewiston, New York. Picture: Brad Carlson.
American Herring Gull 1st cycle (1CY), December 09 2013, Stevenson compost, Tompkins Co, NY. Picture: Kevin McGowan.
American Herring Gull 1st cycle (1CY), December 11 2013, Stevenson compost, Tompkins Co, NY. Picture: Kevin McGowan.
American Herring Gull 1st cycle (1CY), December 11 2013, Stevenson compost, Tompkins Co, NY. Picture: Kevin McGowan.
American Herring Gull 1st cycle (1CY), December 11 2013, Stevenson compost, Tompkins Co, NY. Picture: Kevin McGowan.
American Herring Gull 1st cycle (1CY), December 11 2013, Stevenson compost, Tompkins Co, NY. Picture: Kevin McGowan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 30 2012, Shreveport, Louisiana, USA. Picture: Ronnie Maum.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 26 2007, Rochester, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY), December 27 2011, Bath landfill, Maine, USA. Picture: Trevor Persons.

West coast birds

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy, December 17 2005, Rio del Mar, California, USA. Picture: Jeff Poklen.
American Herring Gull 1st cycle (1CY), December 10 2013, Half Moon Bay, California. Picture: Alvaro Jaramillo.

Great Lakes

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY) December 22 2010, Miller Beach, Gary, IN. Picture: Amar Ayyash.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY) December 22 2010, Miller Beach, Gary, IN. Picture: Amar Ayyash.

South coast birds

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 05 2009, Corpus Christi Bay, Portland, Tx. Picture: Tripp Davenport.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 08 2012, Surfside Beach, Follett's Island, Texas. Picture: Tripp Davenport.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 08 2012, Texas City Dike, Galveston County, Texas. Picture: Tripp Davenport.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 08 2012, Texas City Dike, Galveston County, Texas. Picture: Tripp Davenport.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 08 2012, Texas City Dike, Galveston County, Texas. Picture: Tripp Davenport.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 08 2012, Texas City Dike, Galveston County, Texas. Picture: Tripp Davenport.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 08 2012, Texas City Dike, Galveston County, Texas. Picture: Tripp Davenport.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 08 2012, Texas City Dike, Galveston County, Texas. Picture: Tripp Davenport.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1cy (1st cycle), December 16 2012, Quintana Beach, Brazoria County Texas. Picture: Tripp Davenport.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY), December 26 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY), December 31 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY), December 31 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY), December 27 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY), December 26 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY), December 26 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY), December 31 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st cycle (1CY), December 31 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.