Mediterranean Gull (L. melanocephalus)

(last update: June 11, 2012 )

Mediterranean Gull 18cy YHA4 August 30 2011, Le Portel / Boulogne-sur-Mer, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.

Ringing data: originally ringed green J38 and a tremendous life history (see below picture). Found breeding in Yugoslavia in 2009 when a new ring was attached, red YHA4. Summer 2011 seen in Hungary.

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.

Right 2CY Paris FS 24369 11/02/1995 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34E
20/02/1995 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34E
16/06/1995 St.Martin-les-Boulogne, La Liane (bassin), Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,37E
24/06/1995 Equihen-Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,41N 1,34E
28/07/1995 Le Portel, Fort de l'Heurt, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34E
30/07/1995 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
30/07/1995 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
06/08/1995 Le Portel, Hoverport, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,43N 1,34E
09/08/1995 Le Portel, Hoverport, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
09/08/1995 Le Portel, Hoverport, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
10/08/1995 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,44N 1,35E
10/08/1995 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
11/08/1995 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34E
11/08/1995 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34E
11/08/1995 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
11/08/1995 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34E
11/08/1995 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
12/08/1995 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
12/08/1995 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
14/08/1995 Le Portel, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
16/08/1995 Le Portel, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,43N 1,34E
21/08/1995 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,44N 1,35E
21/08/1995 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
21/08/1995 Le Portel, Hoverport, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
21/08/1995 Le Portel, Hoverport, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
21/08/1995 Le Portel, Hoverport, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/10/1995 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/10/1995 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
08/12/1995 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
17/02/1996 Le Portel, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
20/07/1996 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
03/08/1996 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
03/08/1996 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
03/08/1996 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
04/08/1996 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
05/08/1996 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
17/08/1996 Le Portel, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
18/08/1996 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
18/08/1996 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
20/08/1996 Le Portel, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
04/09/1996 Wimereux, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/02/1997 Le Portel, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
07/02/1997 Le Portel, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
30/03/1997 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,44N 1,36E
24/05/1997 Rückhaltebecken, Stöhna, Leipziger Land, Saxony, GERMANY 51,13N 12,24E
13/07/1997 Equihen-Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,41N 1,34E
03/08/1997 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
04/08/1997 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
04/08/1997 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
04/08/1997 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
05/08/1997 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
05/08/1997 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
06/08/1997 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
10/08/1997 Le Portel, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
14/08/1997 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
15/08/1997 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
17/08/1997 Le Portel, APO Jules Roy, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
18/08/1997 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
19/08/1997 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
19/08/1997 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
19/08/1997 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
20/08/1997 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
20/08/1997 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
24/08/199 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
04/09/1997 Equihen-Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
04/09/1997 Equihen-Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
08/09/19978 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
08/09/1997 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
20/09/1997 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
20/09/1997 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
25/09/1997 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
25/09/1997 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
16/11/1997 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
16/11/1997 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
17/11/1997 Le Portel, APO Carwash, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
03/12/1997 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
12/01/1998 Le Portel, APO Jules Roy, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/02/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/02/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/02/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/02/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/02/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/02/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE .
01/02/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/02/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/02/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/02/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
01/02/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
08/08/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 5
09/08/1998 Le Portel, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
09/08/1998 Le Portel, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
15/08/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
22/08/1998 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
31/08/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
07/09/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
07/09/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
07/09/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
07/09/1998 Wimereux, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
10/10/1998 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
10/10/1998 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
10/10/1998 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
10/10/1998 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
10/10/1998 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE Sauvage J.M
18/12/1998 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE .
26/12/1998 Le Portel, Plage Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
02/04/1999 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
07/04/1999 Le Platier d'Oye Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 51N 2,02E
11/06/1999 Zandvlietsluis, Antwerpen, BELGIUM 51,2N 4,17E Nicheur
13/06/1999 Zandvlietsluis, Antwerpen, BELGIUM Nicheur
20/06/1999 Zandvlietsluis, Antwerpen, BELGIUM Nicheur
24/06/1999 Zandvlietsluis, Antwerpen, BELGIUM Nicheur
27/06/1999 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
03/07/1999 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
26/07/1999 Wimereux, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
31/07/1999 Wimereux, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
10/08/1999 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
14/08/1999 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
17/08/1999 Wimille, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
17/08/1999 Wimereux, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
17/08/1999 Wimereux, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,46N 1,37E
17/08/1999 Wimille, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,45N 1,38E
11/10/1999 Le Portel, APO Carwash, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
13/10/1999 Le Portel, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
09/02/2000 Le Portel, Parking Roro, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
07/03/2000 Wimereux, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
20/04/2000 Zandvlietsluis, Antwerpen, BELGIUM 51,2N 4,17E Nicheur
20/07/2000 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
25/07/2000 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE Sauvage,J.M
26/07/2000 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
02/08/2000 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
02/08/2000 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
03/08/2000 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34E
04/08/2000 Le Portel, Fort de l'Heurt, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
05/08/2000 Le Portel, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
10/08/2000 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
11/08/2000 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
14/08/2000 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
15/08/2000 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
15/08/2000 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
15/08/2000 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
15/08/2000 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
15/08/2000 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
15/08/2000 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
18/08/2000 Le Portel, Rochers Sud, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
22/08/2000 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
11/09/2000 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
11/09/2000 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
11/09/2000 Le Portel, Quai de l'Europe, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
12/09/2000 Wimereux, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
15/09/2000 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34E
15/09/2000 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34E
16/03/2001 Wimereux, Plage Nord, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE
31/07/2003 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34E green ring J38 lost
17/05/2009 Palic lake, Subotica, Vojvodina, YUGOSLAVIA 46,05N 19,45E green ring J38 lost, caught on the nest and added red ring YHA4 Zuljevic, A/ Barna K

17.05.2009. Palić lake,Subotica,Vojvodina(RS78),Serbia 46º04'29"N ; 019º43'09"E A.Žuljević & K.Barna
26.07.2009. Le Portel,Pas-de-Calais(FR07),France 50.42N 001.34E Laignel,Duponcheel&Cavalier
03.12.2009. Le Portel,Pas-de-Calais(FR07),France 50.42N 001.34E J.M. Sauvage
04.01.2010. Le Portel,Pas-de-Calais(FR07),France 50.42N 001.34E J.M. Sauvage
14.02.2010. Boulogne sur Mer (harbour),Pas-de-Calais(FR07),France 50.44N 001.35E Ph. Cannesson
06.08.2010. Boulogne sur Mer (harbour),Pas-de-Calais(FR07),France 50.44N 001.35E J.K. Bossenbroek
10.10.2010. Wimereux,Pas-de-Calais(FR07),France 50º46'18"N ; 001º36'06"E J.M. Sauvage
16.02.2011.Wimereux,Pas-de-Calais(FR07),France50º46'16"N ; 001º36'15"EJ.M. Sauvage
02.07.2011.Csaj-to,Tömörkény,Csongrád(HG43),Hungary46°34'29"N ; 020°04'41"EP. Szűcs
25.07.2011.Boulogne sur Mer (beach),Pas-de-Calais(FR07),France50.44N 001.35EF. Cavalier
30.08.2011 Boulogne sur mer "port",Pas-de-Calais,Fr JM.Sauvage.

Age : 16 years & 6 months.