lusitanius Yellow-legged Gull

(last update: 10-12-2013)

Yellow-legged Gull lusitanius 1cy, November 29 2012, Peniche, Portugal. Picture: Rui Caratão.

This bird has the covert panel and tertials still juvenile. Almost all scapulars replaced by late November (except rear lower scapulars).

Warning: by November, the Atlantic coast of Portugal holds large numbers oif birds, including Lesser Black-backed Gulls (graellsii / intermedius), Mediterranean Yellow-legged Gulls (michahellis michahellis) and of course local birds (michahellis lusitanius). Sometimes, these three taxa may appear extremely similar, and ID is tentative. However, extremes of all forms are rather straightforward, especially for bird watchers from the region.