Herring Gull (argentatus & argenteus)

(last update: February 11, 2013)

Coordinators:
Jean-Michel Sauvage (France)
Mars Muusse (the Netherlands)

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Herring Gull plumages:

HG 1cy July
HG 1cy August
HG 1cy September
HG 1cy October
HG 1cy November
HG 1cy December

HG 2cy January
HG 2cy February
HG 2cy March
HG 2cy April
HG 2cy May
HG 2cy June
HG 2cy July
HG 2cy August
HG 2cy September
HG 2cy October
HG 2cy November
HG 2cy December

HG 3cy January
HG 3cy February
HG 3cy March
HG 3cy April
HG 3cy May
HG 3cy June
HG 3cy July
HG 3cy August
HG 3cy September
HG 3cy October
HG 3cy November
HG 3cy December

HG sub-ad Jan.
HG sub-ad Feb.
HG sub-ad March
HG sub-ad April
HG sub-ad May
HG sub-ad June
HG sub-ad July
HG sub-ad Aug.
HG sub-ad Sept.
HG sub-ad Oct.
HG sub-ad Nov.
HG sub-ad Dec.

HG adult January
HG adult February
HG adult March
HG adult April
HG adult May
HG adult June
HG adult July
HG adult August
HG adult September
HG adult October
HG adult November
HG adult December

Herring Gull (argenteus) NLA 5.361.238 5CY & 16CY, March 2004 & October 2015, Brouwersdam, the Netherlands.

Herring Gull ringed as pullus on July 02 2000 at 3 Oesterdam, Tholen, Zeeland, Nederland (51° 30' 22 N, 4° 11' 4 E).

below: Herring Gull (argenteus) NLA 5.361.238 16CY, October 23 2015, Brouwersdam, the Netherlands.

Bird in complete moult: P8 fully grown.

below: Herring Gull (argenteus) NLA 5.361.238 5CY, March 10 2004, Brouwersdam, the Netherlands.

The head is complete white, all winter streaking absent. Adult argenteus may already return to the colonies in January-February, maybe depending on the weather conditions (mild winters north to 53° latitude along the coast of the North Sea). It's unknown in what way and to what extend weather conditions influence body feather moult, but from January onwards, adults may appear with snow-white heads. From late January and certainly from the first week of February, males start defending territories on the roofs of the industrial complexes in the harbour of IJmuiden and in the colonies of the Maasvlakte, near Rotterdam. 
From the second week of February onwards, adult argenteus from the Netherlands are in active moult on the head. This is often obvious in the feathers around the eye, which are shed by the second week of February, leaving a naked ring around the eye (visible at close range). Note the orange orbital ring and the limited black on the bill (possible in full adult birds).