Mew Gull Larus canus canus; heinei; kamtschatschensis; brachyrhynchus

(last update: March 12, 2012)

Mew Gull canus SVS 7147713 4cy, 28 March 1999, Malmö, Sweden.

Figure 18: 7147713 (387/91,9) typical three-year old bird (4CY). 28 March 1999.

In their third year Mew Gulls are almost impossible to distinguish from four years old and older birds. The average three-year birds have mirrors on P9 and P10, black on six primaries (range 5-7) and white tips on P7 and P8 (about 50% also have a white tip on P9, see fig 18 below). Without exception the tail is all white in three-year old birds.

Figure from:
Is it possible to age subadult Mew Gulls Larus canus?
by: Kenneth Bengtsson & Lennarth Blomquist, publication in: Anser 2-42(2003): p 73-92.