Steppe Gull - barabensis

(last update: 8-9-2014 )
Coordinator:
Mars Muusse (Netherlands)

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barabensis 1CY July
barabensis 1CY Aug
barabensis 1CY Oct
barabensis 1CY Nov

barabensis 2CY Jan
barabensis 2CY Febr
barabensis 2CY March
barabensis 2CY July
barabensis 2CY Nov

barabensis 3CY June
barabensis 3CY Nov

barabensis sub-ad Jan
barabensis sub-ad June
barabensis sub-ad Nov

barabensis ad Jan
barabensis ad March
barabensis ad May
barabensis ad June
barabensis ad July
barabensis ad Nov
barabensis ad Dec

barabensis-type 2CY, February 24 2001, Ashkar harbour, Bahrain.

Barabensis class III 1st winter, paler individual, not showing extensive winter streaking on the head. This 2cy has a typical friendly facial expression and dove-like rounded head as in most barabensis and is very pale at under parts. New feathers show a very silvery-white base, not unlike in west European Herring Gulls (argenteus), accentuated by the piano pattern e.g. on the central median coverts. Note greater covert #4, which is obvious more grey-based; apparently this grey tone bleaches rapidly (the central medians show neat fringes). Scapulars most worn 2nd generation feathers, some moulted recently and show a neat fringe. These feathers might actually already be 3rd generation (supposing all the scapulars were moulted last autumn). Upper tertials moulted to 2nd generation, tail still juvenile. On average, these individuals show an almost white under wing and paler inner webs on the inner primaries (Venetian blind).