Yellow-legged
Gull - Larus michahellis
(last update: October 08 2013)
Coordinators:
Delfín González
Gabriel Martín
Antonio Gutierrez
Amir Ben Dov
Mars Muusse
Yellow-legged Gull michahellis 1CY, October 13 2001, Westkapelle, the Netherlands.
An odd individual with all scapulars moulted to
second generation, the tertials still juvenile and the wing-coverts still
juvenile as well. All these feathers show abraded fringes and the tips worn
away. Note the very dark black-brown centres of the tertials, which are the darkest
feathers on this bird, together with the primaries and tail-band of course.
The
scapulars are probably moulted quite some time ago (August) since most of these
scapulars have a faded colour and abraded fringes, except a few lower scapulars. Normally, michahellis continues this moult with replacement of inner wing-coverts and sometimes
tertials. Here, all wing-coverts are still juvenile, except the central median
coverts, which have been shed and a few new second generation, which coverts are growing in
the median and lesser covert rows. Note the rather pale head (second generation
feathers) and pale shins.
