American Herring Gull (smithsonianus)

(last update: October 30, 2015)

American Herring Gull adult October

Herring Gulls from Iceland.

The issue of Dutch Birding 26: 151-179, 2004 contained a very comprehensive paper on the identification of adult smithsonianus in a European context, titled: Identification of adult American Herring Gull. It was written by Peter Adriaens & Bruce Mactavish. The text is copied on this website, with extra links and pictures of various Canadian and European birds.
The identification of American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus in a European context has been discussed in several papers, most thoroughly by Lonergan & Mullarney (2004). However, not many birds from Iceland were included.

Herring Gull (argenteus) adult, March 01 2010, SW Iceland. Picture: Hans Larsson. Typical argenteus, wingtip pattern wrong for smithsonianus. No band on P5, no W-shaped band on P6, no bayonet on P7-P8, black on P9 runs to coverts.	Herring Gull (argenteus) adult, March 01 2010, SW Iceland. Picture: Hans Larsson. Argenteus, but wingtip pattern on some points close to smithsonianus: W-shaped band on P5, broad band on P10. But, no W-shaped band on P6, no bayonet on P7-P8, black on P9 runs to coverts.
Herring Gull (argenteus) adult, March 01 2010, SW Iceland. Picture: Hans Larsson. Typical argenteus, wingtip pattern wrong for smithsonianus. No band on P5, only hint of W-shaped band on P6, no bayonet on P7-P8, much black on underside of P10 (short tongue).	Herring Gull (argenteus) adult, March 01 2010, SW Iceland. Picture: Hans Larsson. Argenteus, but wingtip pattern on some points close to smithsonianus: broad band on P10 and hint of bayonet on P7. But no real W-shaped band on P5, no W-shaped band on P6, no deep pale tongue on P8, black on P9 runs to coverts and no deep tongue on P10. Note dark on greater primary coverts, indication for young adult.

Banded birds

Adults in October

West coast birds