Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus)

(last update: March 12, 2015)

Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus vetula) 2nd cycle, December 12-15 2024, Simonstown - 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. Aged by pointed juvenile type outer primaries.
Previous alternate moult (post-juvenile moult) included all coverts, tertials, rectrices and outer secondaries, and likely innermost primary.

2nd pre-basic moult: P1 slightly older 2nd gen, with brown hue in white tip (repeated on outer secondaries), P2-P5 new 2nd gen, P6 growing 2nd gen, P8-P10 old juvenile. Secondaries all 2nd gen, with inners adult-type: dark centres with bold white tips. Rectrices replaced in post-juvenile moult, now old 2nd gen, the tips already worn away.
Few new MC growing, probably now 3rd gen, plain blackish. Central GC missing. Tertials old 2nd gen.