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, October 01 2001, Le Portel, France.
The
average moult stage for 2CY October michahellis: Primary P10 is
fully grown and all the secondaries and rectrices are second generation
and complete. Hence, the complete moult has ended. After this complete
moult, a partial moult has included some of the tertials and wing-coverts.
The most recently feathers can be
found in the upper tertials, the inner greater coverts, the central median
coverts, some lesser coverts (randomly replaced, but not in the carpal
edge) and in many cases the lowest row of lower scapulars is replaced by
October. The head feathers show fine streaks and the flanks appear
"clouded" with pale brown patches on a white base.
In this individual, the fresh coverts and scapulars still show brown pattern, see e.g. the brown shaft streak and arrow-head pattern on the third inner greater covert. Brown patterns on grey based feathers can be found in the median coverts as well, and even the new scapulars are not completely plain grey. The old second generation central and outer greater coverts have relatively dense variegated pattern, colours reverse of the average michahellis: here the brown pattern dominates over the white spots.
