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 some coverts replaced in the post-juvenile moult: GC 2,3, MC 2,4,5. All scapulars replaced by late November. Pale head and long exposed tibia make this bird looking similar to Med michahellis.

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.