Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis

(last update: May 16, 2011)

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 This website deals with the Yellow-legged Gull taxon michahellis, which is a common migrant from July to December in NW Europe. After extensive expansion of the breeding population during the last three decades, it nowadays can be found breeding in Belgium, the Netherlands and Britain in mixed couples with both Herring Gull (argenteus) and Lesser Black-backed Gull (graellsii). There are subtle differences between the populations from the Mediterranean, Atlantic coast of Portugal and Morocco and from the islands in the Atlantic. Most pronounced differences can be found in the taxon atlantis, now regarded as full species by some authors.

L. michahellis: 1cy June

General description:

Identification of juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls isn't always easy, but with a combination of characteristics, positive identification must be possible in almost all of them. These features are listed in the July Section.

 

Juvenile michahellis by the end of June

 

Juveniles have left the colonies and by the last days of June, several birds already made a journey of about 800 km to the NW coast of France. They still show a complete juvenile plumage. 

 

Tables

 

Juvenile michahellis moult score July 10-11 2002 Etaples & Le Portel (50.42 N, 1.34 E)
no scapulars missing 5
1-5 scapulars missing 10
6-10 scapulars missing 2*
* including 1 bird with tertial #1 missing and 1 individual already growing new scapulars.

 

 adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U0HH June 05 2011, Moaz Aviv, Israel. Picture: Shmulik.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U1HB June 18 2010, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U1HD June 05 2010, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U1KF June 05 2010, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U2FJ June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov. U2FJ, U8BC, U7CF.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U3FC June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U5BA June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U6AH June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U7CF June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov. U2FJ, U8BC, U7CF.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U8BC June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov. U2FJ, U8BC, U7CF.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U8MA June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U9DB June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U9HF June 18 2010, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy U9MD June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
Chick from mixed nest armenicus x michahellis.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
adult michahellis in April. (61415 bytes) michahellis 1cy June 18 2011, Tel Aviv University - Zool. Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
1cy michahellis in June. (56841 bytes)michahellis 1cy, June 28 2002, Dannes - Boulogne/Mer, NW France (50.42 N, 1.34 E). Complete juvenile.