American Herring Gull (smithsonianus)

(last update: October 30, 2015)

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 2nd cycle (2CY) 1106-27490 September 21 2014, New Buffalo, Berrien County, Michigan. Picture: Amar Ayyash.

Band number 1106-27490, species: "Herring Gull", banded on June 24 2013 as fledgling at Jack Island in Door County WI. This bird just crossed the lake to Berrien County.

Bi-coloured bill and pale amber iris colour. All scaps still with much patterning, lacking obvious 'adult-like' grey feathers. The same for the wing-coverts. P10 fully grown so the complete moult finished; now in some (many?, depending on breeding latitude) birds it's time for the partial moult in autumn. This is a limited moult which normally includes several of the inner wing-coverts and a few upper tertials. In this bird, the innermost MC1 is new and MC2 is missing. Also GC1-GC2 are new (and GC2 still growing). And the upper tertial TT1 is new. Over the next weeks, this partial moult may go on.