Mediterranean Gull (L. melanocephalus)

(last update: June 11, 2012 )

Mediterranean Gull 8cy 176 August 25 2012, Le Portel / Boulogne-sur-Mer, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.

176 green, ringed as 2cy in Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais on 05 January 2006. Ringing data:

176 Right 2CY ParisFS 5262305/01/2006 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
Recorded at Le Portel on numerous occassions, but also abroad:
03/04/2008 au 08/04.2008 Zandvlietsluis, Antwerpen, BELGIUM
24/04/2008 Noordelijk Insteekdok, Oost-Vlaanderen, BELGIUM
02/09/2011 Saint Pol de Léon, Finistère, FRANCE
29/03/2012 Total, Antwerpen, province of Antwerpen, BELGIUM

From June to September, a complete moult takes place, into so-called "adult winter" plumage. The head pattern resembles the pattern in first winter birds, with blackish mask behind the eye. The mantle, scapulars, tertials and all the wing-coverts are replaced for plain pearl-grey feathers. The secondaries are completely white. The adult primaries are shiny pearly-grey, flashing white at a distance. There is a black line along the outer-web of P10 (and sometimes on P9 as well). Secondaries, under-wing and tail all completely white. The bare part coloration in adult plumage: Iris brown, orbital ring red or orangey-red, the bill red or orangey-red with a black bill-band and a yellowish tip and the legs dull reddish or dark. There is some variation in 3cy and 4cy wing-tip patterns.