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 3CY, June 13 2002, Boulogne-sur-Mer, France (50.42N,1.34E).

3CY michahellis showing pale yellow legs, a clear yellow base of the bill, a yellow iris, a red gonydeal spot (although obscured by the black bill-band) and complete grey upper-parts (mantle and scapular region). The orbital ring is obviously red.

In the wing-coverts, active moult has started: the complete median covert row is growing simultaneously and nearly the complete lower lesser covert row has been shed as well. The two inner grey median coverts show some wear and probably those feathers were included already in the partial moult last autumn. Since the tertials are not folded in the ordinary way it's hard to say whether moult in the tertials has started; 3CY michahellis may start dropping the upper tertial by June.