Lesser Black-backed Gull (graellsii & intermedius)

(last update: 14-11-2017 )

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LBBG rings

lbbg 1cy May
lbbg 1cy June
lbbg 1cy July
lbbg 1cy August
lbbg 1cy September
lbbg 1cy October
lbbg 1cy November
lbbg 1cy December

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

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

lbbg sub-ad January
lbbg sub-ad February
lbbg sub-ad March
lbbg sub-ad April
lbbg sub-ad May
lbbg sub-ad June
lbbg sub-ad July
lbbg sub-ad August
lbbg sub-ad Sept
lbbg sub-ad Oct
lbbg sub-ad Nov
lbbg sub-ad Dec

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

sub-adult (4cy / 5cy): February

Sub-adult LBBG in 4cy and 5cy very much resemble birds in adult plumage. On average, 4cy birds may still show a few immature features, but on the other hand some 4cy match the average adult very well and may be difficult to identify.

Only very few sub-adults remain in the Netherlands during the first three months of the year. Together with adults, sub-adults return to the colonies in spring and maybe a few will already breed. It's difficult to separate sub-adults from adults, although sub-adults normally show:
- some black on the bill
- pale yellow legs
- or no pure yellow irises.
However, this may occur in adults in winter plumage as well.

Best features to distinguish sub-adults from adults are:

- less developed primary tips,
- less developed primary mirrors (but beware of smaller sized mirrors in females, normally only showing a P10 mirror),
- extensive black on the bill,
- extensive wear in the coverts with a brown hue, already early in spring and sometimes a hint of barring.


3CY Lesser Black-backed Gull with classic pattern on 2nd gen primaries and secondaries: extensive brown brown on inner primaries, often complete outerwebs dark brown, lacking well demarcated sub-terminal markings. Tail might be anything from classic 2nd gen (broad tail-band over all feathers) to completely white tail.


4CY Lesser Black-backed Gull. Almost similar to 3CY bird above, when you compare tail and combination of brown and grey wing-coverts. However, note difference in secondaries and primaries. Inner primaries P1-P2 adult-like grey and central primaries with black sub-terminal markings and clear-cut white tips. Secondaries with broad white tips, and especially innermost secondaries show adult-like grey base.


sub-adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. Almost similar to adult birds, with adult-like inner primaries and central primaries with black sub-terminal markings and clear-cut white tips. Secondaries with broad white tips.

Below: some immature Lesser Black-backed Gulls (4CY-5CY birds).

 

 

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4cy LBBG graellsii from the UK
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1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii F:046 3CY-4CY, December 2016 - January 2017, Matosinhos beach, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii F:078 4CY, February 09 2017, Matosinhos beach, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 1PF 4CY, January - February 2016, Matosinhos Beach, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii L+T 4CY, March 25 2016, Matosinhos beach, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the U.K. (72074 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii J+S 4CY, March 28 2015, Leixões harbour, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii J:Z 4CY, March 2005 & March 2007, Gijón, Spain. Picture: Delfín González.
4816rpzp.jpg (56042 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii C:D 4CY, April 06 2008, Madrid, Spain. Picture: Delfín González.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the Netherlands. (60208 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii L:N 4CY, March 24 2008, Madrid, Spain. Photo by Delfín González. Also seen as 6cy.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii R6RW 4CY, January 04 2009, Madrid, Spain. Photo by Delfín González.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii W3ZH 4CY, February 25 2007, Madrid, Spain. Photo by Delfín González.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the U.K. (72074 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 3AP7 4CY-5CY, January 2015 - November 2016, Matosinhos Beach, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the U.K. (72074 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 3AS1 4CY-5CY, March 2015, March & November 2016, Leixões harbour, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 5FA2 4CY-5CY, October 2016 - March 2017, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the U.K. (72074 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 6AN1 4CY-5CY, March 2015 - October 2016, Matosinhos beach, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the U.K. (72074 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 2D4:C 4CY, January - March 2015, -Leixões Port, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii SDF 5CY, April 08 2006, Westkapelle, the Netherlands.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the U.K. (72074 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii T:36A 4CY, March 28 2015, Leixões harbour, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
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4cy LBBG graellsii from France
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1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 3:ARS 4CY, January - March 2017, Matosinhos beach, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 020A 4CY-5CY, May 2012 & April 2013, Calais, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 4cy-6cy 600N 2010-2012, Calais, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 4cy 848N April 15 2011, Calais, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 4cy 870N April 20 2012, Calais, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 4cy-5cy 963N May 2011 & April 2012, Calais, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii R:N0J 4CY, April 01 2015, Matosinhos Beach, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii R:T1A 3CY-4CY, April 2015 & March 2016, Leixões harbour, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
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4cy LBBG graellsii "Dutch intergrade" from Belgium
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Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 4cy & 6cy DWAM August 2009 & April 2011, Calais, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 5cy HFAU April 14 2012, Calais, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 5cy HKAB April & July 2012, Calais, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 4cy-5cy NHAH July 2013 & April 2014, Calais, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 4cy NTAZ April & June 2013, Calais, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the U.K. (72074 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii UDA.S 4CY, April 17 2015, Leixões Harbour, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii BLB L-916045 4CY, February 26 2018, Matosinhos Beach, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in Belgium. (78202 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii BLB L-93303 4cy, April 06 2003, Dintelhaven - Maasvlakte, the Netherlands (51.59N,04.02E).
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4cy LBBG graellsii "Dutch intergrade" from the Netherlands
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Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 0.A 4CY, January 06 2017, Leixões harbour, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii J3 4CY, April 20 2012, Calais, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage. Also as 2cy in Spain.
adult graellsii in May, ringed in the Netherlands. (83502 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii BA 4CY & 12CY, May 2006 & March 2014, Moerdijk-Sassenplaat, the Netherlands. Picture: Merijn Loeve & Mars Muusse.
adult LBBG Dutch intergrade in September, ringed in the Netherlands. (85708 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii G8 5CY, April 22 2015, Sassenplaat, the Netherlands. Picture: Merijn Loeve.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii AH 4CY, April 15 2015, Dordrecht, the Netherlands. Picture: Merijn Loeve.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii FF 4CY, April 24 2015, Moerdijk, the Netherlands. Picture: Merijn Loeve.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii JV 2CY-4CY, September 2016, March-July 2017 & February 2018, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii V3 3CY-4CY, March 2017 & February 2018, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the U.K. (72074 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii Y.6 4CY-6CY, January - March 2015 & March 09-10 2017, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii EU93 5CY, April 16 2001, ECT centrale Maasvlakte, the Netherlands. Ringed in June 1997, EU93 was recorded on October 23rd 1997 along the coast of Portugal. 
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii K.BJC 4CY, January - March 2017, Leixões harbour, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the Netherlands. (60208 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii K.HAW 4CY, April 29 2010, Texel, the Netherlands. Photo by Kees Camphuysen. Also seen as 5cy.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the Netherlands. (60208 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii K.KAB 4CY, April 14 2012, Kelderhuispolder - Texel, the Netherlands. Picture: Maarten van Kleinwee.
EV65a020400.jpg (91120 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii or michahellis x argenteus 4cy EV65 April 02 2000, Neeltje Jans, the Netherlands. Photo by Pim Wolf. A sub-adult winter LBBG with a Dutch ring: EV65, hatched at Maasvlakte, the Netherlands in summer 1997.
adult LBBG Dutch intergrade in September, ringed in the Netherlands. (85708 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii NLA 5.417.121 4CY, March 25 2014, Vlaardingen, the Netherlands. Picture: Merijn Loeve.
ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the U.K. (72074 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii NLA 5.472.247 4CY, April 10 2015, Leixões harbour, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
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4cy LBBG graellsii - intermedius from N Germany
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Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii HE7E3 1CY-4CY, October 2015 - February 2018, the Netherlands & Portugal. Picture: Mars Muusse & José Marques.
4816rpzp.jpg (56042 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii H130 4CY, January 12 2010, Madrid, Spain. Picture: Delfín González.
4816rpzp.jpg (56042 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii H191 4CY, January 05 2010, Madrid, Spain. Picture: Delfín González.
4816rpzp.jpg (56042 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii H9CE 4CY, February 06 & March 27 2016, Comenar Viejo, Madrid, Spain (40°15'41"N 003°38'00"W). Picture: Delfín Gonzalez.
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4cy LBBG intermedius from Norway
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ad LBBG in Januari-April, ringed in the U.K. (72074 bytes)Lesser Black-backed Gull intermedius JM2C 4CY & 6CY, March 2015 - January 2017, Leixões Harbour, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull intermedius JN68 4CY, March 08 2009, Madrid, Spain. Photo by Delfín González.
Lesser Black-backed Gull intermedius JR56 4CY, January 11 & March 08 2009, Madrid, Spain. Photo by Delfín González.