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 2CY HES 884278 August 25 2000, Boulogne-sur-Mer, NW France.
This
bird has moulted many mantle and scapulars, creating a grey saddle on the
back. Note the pattern on greater and median coverts, being very densely
barred, variegated or spaghetti pattern. The tail has been moulted to
second generation (in a second generation tail there may be more black
than there is in a first generation tail). In the bottom picture, the
wings are stretched, showing the paler webs of the inner primaries up to
P8, the second generation primaries which show an obvious
"window" contrasting with the dark outer wing and second
generation secondaries. The new secondaries are moulted inwards, in a
descendant order. Iris and bill are dark.
This bird is ringed (Sempach - Helvetica 884278) and was ringed in
Switzerland May 12 1999, in the only Swiss michahellis colony. The sighting at Le Portel is the only one of this individual so far.
