Lesser Black-backed Gull (graellsii & intermedius)

(last update: 16-12-2014 )

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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 Mar-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 Jan
lbbg sub-ad Febr
lbbg sub-ad March
lbbg sub-ad April

lbbg sub-ad May
lbbg sub-ad June
lbbg sub-ad July
lbbg sub-ad Aug
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: December

This page shows the variation of sub-adult Lesser Black-backed Gull in the months November to December.

The birds shown here are at least in 3rd winter plumage (3cy and older), at most in their 5th winter plumage. LBBG in 3cy and 4cy can look very much the same and in early winter, when the outer primaries are lost, it may be very hard to age them correctly. Those in 5cy are often recognized by and distinguished from adults by the black centres of the outer primary coverts. It has to be seen whether this feature completely rules out full-adults, since breeding LBBG in the colony (spring and summer) sometimes show this characteristic as well.

Some photographed sub-adults with rings show the difficulty and variation of specific ages during this sub-adult period.

Ringed sub-adult birds
LBBG 4cy AYZ December 06 2008, Madrid, Spain. Photo by Delfín González.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii D.LDA 4CY, December 11 2015, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
LBBG 4cy RKX December 14 2008, Madrid, Spain. Photo by Delfín González.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 3AP7 4CY-5CY, December 2015 & October - November 2016, Matosinhos Beach, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 3CK9 4CY-5CY, December 2015 - February 2016, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii 6CA4 4CY, December 04-07 2015, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii K.AZX 2CY & 4CY, August 2014 & October-December 2016, the Netherlands & Portugal. Picture: Maarten van Kleinwee & José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull graellsii Y.6 4CY-6CY, December 2015 & March 09-10 2017, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull intermedius JK1J 4CY, December 04 2015, Leixões Harbour, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.
Lesser Black-backed Gull intermedius JM2C 4CY & 6CY, December 2015 & January 2017, Leixões Harbour, Matosinhos, Portugal. Picture: José Marques.