second
calendar year: November - December
Last update of this page: 27-09-05 21:36 General Nearly every large gull species in second winter exhibits one of the most variable plumages. In this respect, the LBBG is certainly no exception. At Westkapelle, the Netherlands (where most pictures were taken) most present adult LBBG (in late autumn and winter) originate from Scandinavia. Regarding 2nd winter LBBG, the lack of sufficient individuals with rings makes us rather reserved to the identification on the level of subspecies. As can be read in the captions of the images, a few times we have tried to explain why a particular bird, in our opinion, could be intermedius. However, absence of such presumptions does not necessarily mean that the individual in question belongs to graellsii. Actually, experienced gull-enthusiasts may recognize more birds featuring characteristics of intermedius in this section. Primary moult stage The table below represents a primary moult score of November 06 2001 at Maasvlakte, the Netherlands. Throughout the summer months, from May to September, the primary moult scores in 2cy Lesser Black-backed Gulls remained very unpredictable, with much variation, as can be seen most obviously in the July Section. (Compare to e.g. 2cy Yellow-legged Gulls in France). But by early November, only a very small minority has not finished the primary moult (and therefore finish the complete summer moult, with all feathers now at least of second generation). In the mean time, simultaneous with replacement of the primaries in summer, 2cy Lesser Black-backed Gulls from the Netherlands moult all the scapulars, wing-coverts, tertials and rectrices. In the July and August section the progress of this complete moult is described. By August, the complete moult in the wing-coverts is finished with replacement of the last central greater coverts (normally #6-8) and finally the feathers in the carpal edge (outer lesser coverts). As those last lesser coverts are replaced for second generation feathers, the partial autumn moult starts in 2cy birds only a few weeks after the complete moult during summer, again with the upper tertials and outer median coverts as can be found in several images in the August Section. Timing and strategy of partial moult The sequence and extent of this
partial moult is quite consistent. The first signs of moult appear in the
inner greater & inner median coverts and upper tertials, which are
moulted in a descendant order (from the body towards the wingtip). At the bottom of this page, a table is included to show roughly the stage of partial moult in early November in 2cy Lesser Black-backed Gulls. The exact sequence of the partial moult varies from one individual to another, but most 2cy birds will moult some of the following feathers in autumn: tertials, wing-coverts, scapulars and in a few cases tail-feathers. This was described already in the September section. It's hard to label all wing-coverts to
exact generation. As can be seen in the May
Section, the post-juvenile moult in especially intermedius
can be very extensive, even including the tail-feathers. Patterns in 3th generation coverts The pattern of the new feathers vary from
plain adult-like grey feathers to feathers hardly distinguishable from the
old second generation feathers. Those feathers show a anchor pattern or
barred pattern (dark brown to blackish) with a pronounced dark broad
shaft-streak on a warm brown base (but the brown tone of these feathers
will bleach to almost white with time). Some birds have an intermediate
coloration: a plain grey base of the feather with a brownish upper half,
an anchor pattern and a clear white fringe. As in the October Section, 2cy Lesser Black-backed Gulls can be divided in three categories: 1. As can be read in the captions, some individuals look more 'advanced' in the moult of the upper-parts and wing-coverts. Actually, those 'advanced individuals' don't necessarily show an 'advanced moult stage' but rather show an 'advanced pattern on the feathers'. Quite some birds show a complete or almost complete greyish scapular and mantle region, a complete greyish median covert bar, combined with greyish inner greater coverts and single greyish tertials. On a whole, this gives a pretty 2nd summer-like appearance. Click here for examples of this group. From November onwards, over 90% of the 2cy LBBGs present at the Maasvlakte and Westkapelle show at least new inner greater and median coverts, with many (>60%) showing new central median coverts or completely new median coverts. 2.
The exact same moult stage (i.e. amount of moulted feathers to 3rd
generation) can be found in very brownish or variegated
birds as well. Regardless their same moult stage, the look more
'immature, second generation-like', an impression created by the anchor or barred
pattern on the new 3rd generation feathers. 3. The intermediate birds show a grey scapular region combined with patterned wing-coverts. So far, we didn't find criteria to allocate these categories to sexes or geographical locations. Probably, "advanced looking individuals" can be found in any populations, though there is a slight tendency to name the "less advanced birds" from category 2 British graellsii as they often stand out as robust and strong individuals, unlike the average compact, smaller Scandinavian intermedius. Tables
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