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 INHN November 27 2003, Port la Nouvelle, S France.
This 1CY michahellis has a blue Italian ring: INHN. It has only replaced a few wing-coverts but no tertials in the post-juvenile moult. Almost all scapulars have been replaced again for third generation feathers. The upper scapulars and over 50% of the lower scapulars have been replaced. Most feathers are second generation-like in pattern, with a anchor pattern and grey-base, easiest recognised by the with broad neat fringes. Some fresh scapulars are almost plain grey.
The partial autumn moult included no tertials, one innermost greater covert (#2), the innermost median covert, five lower lesser coverts and only two lesser coverts. All primaries and rectrices are still juvenile, probably the secondaries as well.
Compared INHN with limited covert moult to two Italian birds with extensive moult, see ILZB and IKZH (here). But see also I013 (here), which has limited moult.
