nominate Lesser Black-backed Gull (L. fuscus)

(last update: 11-4-2006)

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fuscus 2cy February

fuscus 2cy July

fuscus 2cy August

fuscus 3cy February

fuscus 3cy July

fuscus 3cy August

fuscus 4cy July

fuscus 4cy August

fuscus ad June

fuscus ad July

fuscus ad August

1cy fuscus: August

Typical juvenile nominate fuscus are hard to describe as the variation in colour and shape is extensive, but on average a few points may indicate specific identification. Note however that single individuals from graellsii, intermedius and fuscus are almost impossible to tell apart as there exists a large overlap. For comparison, a juvenile intermedius from Götenborg, SW Sweden is added at the bottom. Images of ringed graellsii and unidentified graellsii / intermedius can be found in the Lesser Black-backed Gull sections of August, September, October and November-December.

Colour and contrast

As early as August, many nominate fuscus are remarkable contrastingly patterned. The centres of the scapulars and wing-coverts are very dark brown, almost blackish brown. The fringes are very pale and quickly lose the brown hue characteristically found in very fresh fledged juveniles. The fringes are rather pale, almost white. The average graellsii and intermedius in the Dutch colonies (Maasvlakte, near Rotterdam) seem to be warmer coloured, although individuals with very pale fringes and dark brown centred scapulars can be found in Dutch colonies as well (see e.g. there). On the other hand, individuals with warm brown fringes can be found in Finland, as the first image shows. This bird was still begging at a parent at the Tampere landfill and typically these warm brown individuals may turn more contrastingly patterned once the fringes bleach after several weeks. Some juveniles remain warmer brown during the month of September. Nevertheless, the average picture hold with nominate fuscus more contrastingly patterned and the graellsii / intermedius juveniles on average warmer brown, especially on the fringes of scapulars and wing-coverts, but also on the nape, ear-coverts and belly.

Jonsson, in his article in Birding World volume 11 no 8 (1998) estimates a 10% of juvenile fuscus to show very pale fringes "the light areas sometimes appear 'over-exposed' so that the belly and head can be almost white" and he classifies these juveniles as 'light morph birds'. The other 90% belong to the average group and some appear dark brown, almost lacking any pale fringes in the greater coverts. 

Shape and expression

As with the adult nominate fuscus, juveniles appear more delicately built than their western relatives intermedius and surely graellsii; fuscus being small, long-winged and thin-billed. Especially the obvious P10 projection, well over P9, attracts attention but dealing with a single bird, there may be no particular characteristic to identify a juvenile fuscus from intermedius.

Post-juvenile moult in juvenile fuscus

As can be seen in the pictures, most birds show a complete juvenile plumage by early August. Numbers are too low to draw any conclusions about the post-juvenile moult, but at least a few birds started the post-juvenile moult as early as August 07 at the Tampere landfill, in SW Finland (see e.g. this bird and CHR5). Jonsson (in his article in Birding World) mentions that post-juvenile moult may start in August in some individuals. On the other hand, juvenile fuscus may arrive at the African wintering grounds, still in complete juvenile plumage by late September to December according to Jonsson. Part of the explanation could be related to the large breeding area in Scandinavia, from the southern latitudes, Baltic region through central Norway all the way north to northern Norway and east to the White Sea. 
Jonsson observed juvenile fuscus mainly at Gotland SW Sweden, where most birds are growing second generation scapulars and mantle feathers by mid September. New scapulars may show a distinct anchor shape, as can be found commonly in graellsii and intermedius (see again the sections of September and October, other juvenile fuscus replace the juvenile feathers for plain dark slate-grey feathers with a broad blackish wedge-shaped centre. Such plain patterns can only rarely be found in intermedius by early autumn. Below, tables are presented to show the post-juvenile moult timing of Dutch intergrades in colonies in SW Netherlands.

Tables

start of post-juvenile moult:
in (still begging) juvenile LBBG near the Maasvlakte colonies (<300 meters). Samples from July 13 2002 (with over 500 juveniles at single sites).
In this sample the number of shed scapulars has beens scored, normally in the lower upper scapular region (see Section Bird Topography for explanations). In the field, it's hard to establish whether mantle feathers have been shed (although fully grown second generation mantle feathers may be recognized).
When scapulars are missing this implicitly means new second generation scapulars are growing in, as the old feathers are 'pushed out' by the new ones.
Note that fledged juveniles may show odd moult patterns, but in any case growing p9 and p10 seems to to finish the complete juvenile moult. In the mean time, with p9 and p10 growing, odd birds may still miss the outer greater coverts (from #10 outwards), or may miss median coverts (normally #3-6), may miss the inner greater coverts (#1-5), may miss the central tail-feathers (R1) or may miss feathers in the lowest row of lower scapulars.
score Dintelhaven Papegaaienbek
compl juv 40 47
worn juv 5 4
1-5 miss 3 -
6-10 miss - -
11-20 miss - -
n: 48 51
compl juv: complete juvenile plumage in recently fledged juveniles, so no wear in the fringes and in some birds p8 is still the longest primary, with p9 and p10 growing (by this time many birds leave the nest site and disperse to near sandy beaches.
worn juv: juvenile plumage with worn fringes in the (rear) wing-coverts and the scapulars and mantle feathers. The upper two tertials may show wear as well. In almost all birds, p10 is fully grown now.
1-5 miss: 1-5 scapulars have been shed.
6-10 miss: 6-10 scapulars have been shed.
11-20 miss: 11-20 scapulars have been shed. New feathers are growing in.
Dintelhaven: score from location Dintelhaven - Maasvlakte, the Netherlands (51.57N,04.03E). See Maasvlakte map.
Papegaaienbek: score from
location Papegaaienbek - Maasvlakte, the Netherlands (51.57N,04.03E). See Maasvlakte map.

new and/or missing mantle, scapulars, coverts and tertials:
in (still begging) juvenile LBBG in the Maasvlakte colony 16.08.2001 (n=32).
mantle scaps covs/tertials #
0 0 0 4
? 0 0 8
0 1-5 0 2
? 1-5 0 7
0 6-10 0 2
1-5 1-5 0 1
1-5 1-5 1-5 3
? 1-5 1-5 1
0 6-10 1-5 3
? 6-10 1-5 1
1cy fuscus in August, ringed in Finland. (81365 bytes)Larus fuscus fuscus 1cy C2J7 August 08 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E). A very fresh juvenile fuscus. This bird is still begging at the parent at the dump.
1cy fuscus in August, ringed in Finland. (57485 bytes)Larus fuscus fuscus 1cy CCUR August 06-12 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E). This bird and the individual from the same nest, CCVJ, were still begging at the parent at the dump. This bird has the fringes of the rear scapulars slightly worn.
1cy fuscus in August, ringed in Finland. (76723 bytes)Larus fuscus fuscus 1cy CCVJ August 06-12 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E). Note the medium dark brown centres of the scapulars and the dark outer greater coverts. The fringes are rather pale, almost white lacking a buffish or yellowish hue. The fresh primaries are all dark towards the tip, without obvious pale crescents as can be seen in most argentatus juveniles.
1cy fuscus in August, ringed in Finland. (66914 bytes)Larus fuscus fuscus 1cy CHR2 August 08 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E). This individual has several scapulars missing and the wing-coverts with a buffish hue. Note the obvious notched wing-coverts and the relatively pale brown centres of the scapulars and coverts. 
1cy fuscus in August, ringed in Finland. (66838 bytes)Larus fuscus fuscus 1cy CHR5 August 08 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E). On average, juvenile fuscus is slightly more contrasting and 'cold' patterned in the upper-parts as this individual shows. This bird has the fringes of the scapulars slightly buffish but rather fresh. Note the lower upper scapular region containing three very fresh feathers, probably already second generation feathers.
1cy fuscus in August, ringed in Finland. (74758 bytes)Larus fuscus fuscus 1cy CHR6 August 06 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E). This bird has the fringes of the scapulars slightly worn. Note the very dark brown centres of the scapulars and the very dark outer greater coverts.
1cy fuscus in August, ringed in Finland. (76108 bytes)Larus fuscus fuscus 1cy CNKA August 11 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E). A rather large bird, probably a male with an hand span of 435 mm, not unlike the average Finnish argentatus wing span. This bird is completely juvenile in it's plumage. Note the dark inner primaries and the tips of the outer primaries, lacking white crescents.
1cy fuscus in August. (50467 bytes)Larus fuscus fuscus 1cy, August 06 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E). Most striking are the small size, the slender bill, but it's hard to draw a clear line for identification of juveniles from the Netherlands (Dutch intergrades) and these juveniles from SW Finland. This individual is completely juvenile, no scapulars are missing.
1cy fuscus in August. (67953 bytes)Larus fuscus fuscus 1cy, August 06 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E). A juvenile fuscus by early August. On average, juvenile fuscus is slightly more contrasting and 'cold' patterned in the upper-parts as this individual shows.
1cy fuscus in August. (75599 bytes)Larus fuscus fuscus 1cy, August 07 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E). This bird has the fringes of the rear scapulars slightly worn and a few lower upper scapulars have been shed. At least two rear lower upper scapulars are growing second generation feathers. The fringes are almost white, lacking a buffish or yellowish hue.
1cy fuscus in August. (84803 bytes)Larus fuscus fuscus 1cy, August 08 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E). A juvenile fuscus by early August, present at the Tampere dump. This individual has very dark brown centres of the scapulars and coverts. The fresh primaries are all dark towards the tip.
1cy fuscus in August. (79406 bytes)Larus fuscus fuscus 1cy, August 08 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E). Note the bold notched pattern on the wing-coverts.
1cy intermedius in August. (53439 bytes)Larus fuscus intermedius 1cy, August 12 2002, Götenborg, Sweden. A very recently fledged juvenile as the warm brown fringes indicate.