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 (smithsonianus) 4cy (3rd cycle), February 09 2008, Dryden, NY, USA. Picture: Mike.

See Mike's Picasa website for many more taxa and images of American Herring Gull.

2nd cycle and 3rd cycle birds best aged on inner primaries pattern. At first glance an advanced 2nd cycle bird in upperparts, which appear as a grey saddle. However, the lower tertials look very adult-like and the bill-base is yellow, which probably better fit 3rd cycle birds. Especially the lower picture seems to reveal the white secondary tips, just visible underneath the greater covert row.