Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus)

(last update: March 12, 2015)

Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus vetula) 2nd cycle, December 15 2024, Muizenberg - Kaapstad, South Africa. Picture: Chris Gibbins.

Breeding season at this location (34°11'30S 18°25'52E) is in December, with this years juvenile birds almost fledging by mid-December.
Therefore it’s convenient to consider the bird at this page as 12 months old.

Bird in 2nd pre-basic moult, moulting to 2nd basic plumage.
Previous alternate moult (post-juvenile moult) included inner coverts, tertials and rectrices. These feather groups are skipped now in the early stage of 2nd pre-basic moult, and, as is often the case, moult continues at e.g. outer MC and central GC.

Early stage of 2nd pre-basic moult: P1-P2 new, P3 growing 2nd gen. P6-P10 old juvenile. Secondaries old juvenile, except for 1 randomly replaced fearther. Rectrices seem to be all replaced in post-juvenile moult, now old 2nd gen.
Outer MC growing. Innermost GC old 2nd gen, central GC missing, outer GC old juvenile. Tertials old 2nd gen.