Vega Gull (vegae) / セグロカモメ / 재갈매기

(last update: December 2015)

Vega Gull (vegae) adult January

ADULT PLUMAGES.

Adult Vega Gull vegae from NE Russia is a dark bird, matching darkest Scandinavian argentatus or Mediterranean michahellis. Luckily, darkest argentatus from N Norway are also birds with least black in the wingtip, while on the opposite vegae has much black in the wingtip. Below is a set of 9 characteristics for adult vegae.

Adult Vega Gull vegae

• grey tone is about Kodak 6-7(8), matching darkest Scandinavian argentatus or Mediterranean michahellis.
• much speckling in iris, creating dark-eyed effect at a distance.
• normally with broad black sub-terminal band on P5.
• Coral red orbital ring, pink legs (93% of the population).
• large white tips on secondaries.

Additional characteristics

• densely streaked winter head, running down in hindneck and breast.
• powerful bird, but well-proportioned, not bulky.
• mirror on P10 seprated from white tip by full black sub-terminal band.
• white tongue tips.

From a west European perspective, adult Vega Gull looks very similar to local Herring Gull. Below a few example birds from Europe.

Herring Gull (argentatus) adult, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands (Mars Muusse). Dark argentatus from Scandinavia, and adult argenteus (argentatus and vegae about equal in grey tone). P10: Mirror merges with tip, P9 with large mirror, no black spot on P5.	Herring Gull (argentatus) adult, February 14 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands (Mars Muusse). Thayeri pattern on P9 and P10, broken band on P7 and only faint black spots on P6. Probably from N Scandinavia. About Kodak 6-7 grey tone.
Herring Gull (argentatus) adult, December 02 2012, Katwijk, the Netherlands (Mars Muusse). In argentatus, northern birds are darker on upperparts, but also show less black in wingtip. Here, no sub-terminal band on P10, mirror on P9 covering both webs, no black spot on P5. Yellow orbital ring.	Herring Gull 4cy, October 07 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands (Mars Muusse). Heavy streaking on head and breastcommon in full adult Vega Gull, in Europe more associated with immature birds.
Herring Gull (argentatus) adult, December 02 2012, Katwijk, the Netherlands (Mars Muusse). Bird with more black on P9-P10, still no black on P5. Full sub-terminal band on P10, no mirror on P9. Yellow orbital ring.	Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Noordwijk, the Netherlands Mars Muusse. With immature Lesser Black-backed Gull in background. No black on P5. Black on outerweb of P8 not reaching to primary coverts. No obvious white tongue tips. Kodak 5-6 in continental argenteus.