American Herring Gull (smithsonianus)

(last update: October 12, 2014)

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

American Herring Gull 2cy December

Small thumbnails in the right column show 2nd cycle American Herring Gull by December (2CY December smithsonianus). Vega Gull (vegae) replaced American Herring Gull in nw Alaska. Below are several larger photos of example birds photographed in Japan by Chris Gibbins, to illustrate the variation in 2nd cycle plumage.

All pictures from December 27 2009 - January 04 2010, at Choshi, Japan, by Chris Gibbins. Visit Chris's BLOG for more.

2nd gen flight feathers, no mirror on P10. No partial autumn moult in wing-coverts and tertials. Grey tone of fresh scaps darker than on smithsonianus.

No mirror on P10. Partial autumn moult in wing-coverts and tertials: TT1,3, GC1-3, MC1,2,47-9, LLC2-4, LC approx 8x. Almost completely grey saddle (except for rear lower scaps).

Limited partial autumn moult in wing-coverts and tertials, TT1-2, GC1-2, MC1-2,7, LLC4.

2nd gen flight feathers. Limited partial autumn moult in wing-coverts and tertials, with single feathers replaced. Grey tone of fresh scaps darker than on smithsonianus.

No partial autumn moult in wing-coverts and tertials. Grey tone of fresh feathers darker than on smithsonianus.

2nd gen flight feathers, faint mirror on P10. Partial autumn moult in wing-coverts and tertials: TT1. Almost no grey scaps.

Atypical patterned secondaries for 2nd cycle bird. Normally 2nd gen secondaries have extensive dark centres (like on the lower tertials in this bird), instead these feathers are much like 3rd gen secondaries. Primary pattern, especially on P3 and P5 typical for 2nd gen (3rd gen P5 would show an adult-like blackish subterminal band and white tip).

2nd gen flight feathers, no mirror on P10. Very pale on rump and proximal half of rectrices, and grey tone of fresh feathers darker than on smithsonianus. Strong head streaking on this bird.

2nd gen flight feathers, no mirror on P10. Note thin vermiculation at the tops of innerwebs of P2-P4, similar to Herring Gull. Very pale on rump and grey tone of fresh feathers darker than on smithsonianus.

2nd gen flight feathers, no mirror on P10. Dark sub-terminal spot on inner primaries covers both webs.

2nd gen flight feathers, except maybe for a small group of central secondaries which look more mature. These feathers may be 3rd gen, which would be in line with the few grey GC on top of them. Note mirror on P10.

Hybrid Herring x Lesser Black-backed Gull

Hybrid smithsonianus x graellsii 1st & 2nd cycle F02 March & December 2009 & February 2010. Photo by Blair Nikula & Mitchell Harris.

Great Lake birds

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY) 1106-26938 December 20 2014, Michigan City, IN. Picture: Amar Ayyash.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY) 1106-27230 December 20 2014, Michigan City, IN. Picture: Amar Ayyash.

East coast birds

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 1st & 2nd cycle (2CY) M04 February - March, December 2012, New Haven Harbor, Connecticut. Picture: Keith Mueller.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy (2rd cycle), December 01 2012, Edgebrook - New Brunswick, NJ, US.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy (2rd cycle), December 17 2006, Seabrook, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy (2rd cycle), December 17 2006, Seabrook, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull 2nd cycle (2CY), December 12 2013, Stevenson compost, Tompkins Co, NY. Picture: Kevin McGowan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY), December 28 2014, Patchogue Town Dock, LI, NY. Picture: John Heidecker.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy (2rd cycle), December 26 2007, Rochester, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy (2rd cycle), December 26 2007, Rochester, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy (2rd cycle), December 26 2007, Rochester, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy (2rd cycle), December 26 2007, Rochester, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy (2rd cycle), December 26 2007, Rochester, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy (2rd cycle), December 26 2007, Rochester, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy (2rd cycle), December 26 2007, Rochester, NH, USA. Picture: Mike.

West coast birds

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy, December 23 2005, Rio del Mar, California, USA. Picture: Jeff Poklen.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy, December 25 2008, Capitola, California, USA. Picture: Jeff Poklen.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy, December 28 2010, Pájaro River mouth, Monterey Co., California, USA. Picture: Jeff Poklen.

South coast birds

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY), December 27 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY), December 20 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY), December 26 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY), December 26 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY), December 26 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY), December 26 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY), December 26 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY), December 20 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY), December 27 2014, Thompson Bait Camp, Baytown, TX. Picture: Jan.
American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2cy (2nd cycle), December 16 2012, Quintana Beach, Brazoria County Texas. Picture: Tripp Davenport.

Great Lakes birds

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY) December 08 2012, Lake County, IL. Picture: Amar Ayyash.