American Herring Gull (smithsonianus)

(last update: October 30, 2015)

Coordinators:
Amar Ayyash (US)
Bruce Mactavish (Canada)
Dave Brown (Canada)
Mars Muusse (Netherlands)

Slaty-backed Gull (schistisagus) 2nd cycle (3CY), March 28 2008, Nemuro, Hokkaido, Japan. Picture: Shiroto.

Visit Shiroto's website for many more gull pictures from Japan!

2nd gen flight feathers: outer primaries with rounded tips, 2nd gen secondaries with narrow white tips. Much dark in tail. Pale iris and dark bill. Some scapulars show the adult upperpart grey tone, which is as in Lesser Black-backed Gull. Pattern on wing-coverts very simple, plain pale brown with dark shaft or dark triangle centre. Note strong bill and very central placed eye in the head.