Herring
Gull H
- 1174xx 2cy (argenteus),
October 18 2002, Westkapelle, the Netherlands (51.33N-03.25E).
From late April onwards, argenteus has a complete
moult
during summer to so-called "second winter" plumage. This
complete moult will be finished by October and overlaps with the partial
autumn moult which starts in September and often include scapulars, a few
inner wing-coverts and upper tertials. The head has been moulted in July-August and shows neat fine
streaking by October. The under-parts and rump are pale, mottled with
brown. From mid-May, the scapulars and mantle were replaced for third
generation feathers, starting with the replacement of the lower upper
scapulars. The pattern of the third
generation scapulars is more or less similar to the anchor pattern of the
second generation feathers. By October, argenteus
acquire some new adult-like pale grey scapulars.
From early April, the inner primaries
were shed
and new second generation primaries grown in. On average, the last juvenile primary (P10)
was shed in the first week of August. The majority of argenteus
complete the primary moult by the first week of October, when the new second
generation P10 will be fully grown. The new primaries are dark with a tiny pale tip on
the fresh flight-feathers. The four inner primaries show an extensive
pale window, as both inner and outer-web are pale greyish white-brown,
contrasting with the outer-wing. A pale inner-web can still be found in P7.
The second generation
tail-feathers show a clear-cut blackish tail-band with only isolated
blackish markings on the white basal half.
By early October, argenteus
finish the complete moult, with the central greater coverts and outer lesser
coverts moulted last. Between September and November, the average 2cy argenteus start a
simultaneous partial autumn moult in the wing-coverts, including the upper
tertials, some median and lower lesser coverts and often the inner greater
coverts.
This 2cy argenteus
has P10 fully grown. All
rectrices and secondaries are fully grown as well, replaced by second
generation flight-feathers. This Belgian 2cy argenteus
is illustrative for argenteus replacing wing-coverts in the partial
moult: the two upper tertials are
fully grown and #3 is growing. The three inner greater coverts and almost all
the median coverts are replaced and fully grown; five lower lesser covert are fully grown
and two lower lesser coverts are missing; two lesser coverts are replaced.
In the scapulars, this bird show 75-100% of the
scapulars plain, adult-like grey.
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