American Herring Gull (smithsonianus)

(last update: October 12, 2014)

American Herring Gull 2cy December

Small thumbnails in the right column show 2nd cycle American Herring Gull by December (2CY December smithsonianus). Vega Gull (vegae) replaced American Herring Gull in nw Alaska. Below are several larger photos of example birds photographed in Japan by Chris Gibbins, to illustrate the variation in 2nd cycle plumage.

All pictures from December 27 2009 - January 04 2010, at Choshi, Japan, by Chris Gibbins. Visit Chris's BLOG for more.

2nd gen flight feathers, no mirror on P10. Very pale on rump and proximal half of rectrices, and grey tone of fresh feathers darker than on smithsonianus. Strong head streaking on this bird.

2nd gen flight feathers, no mirror on P10. Note thin vermiculation at the tops of innerwebs of P2-P4, similar to Herring Gull. Very pale on rump and grey tone of fresh feathers darker than on smithsonianus.

2nd gen flight feathers, no mirror on P10. Dark sub-terminal spot on inner primaries covers both webs.

2nd gen flight feathers, except maybe for a small group of central secondaries which look more mature. These feathers may be 3rd gen, which would be in line with the few grey GC on top of them. Note mirror on P10.

Hybrid Herring x Lesser Black-backed Gull

Great Lake birds

East coast birds

West coast birds

South coast birds

Great Lakes birds