Yellow-legged
Gull - Geelpootmeeuw (L. michahellis): 2cy Nov.
(last update: 13 januari 2004)
YLG
1cy May
YLG
1cy June
YLG
1cy July
YLG 1cy August
YLG 1cy September
YLG 1cy October
YLG 1cy November
YLG 1cy December
YLG
2cy January
YLG 2cy February
YLG 2cy March
YLG 2cy April
YLG 2cy May
YLG 2cy June
YLG 2cy July
YLG 2cy August
YLG 2cy September
YLG 2cy October
YLG 2cy November
YLG 2cy December
YLG
3cy January
YLG 3cy February
YLG 3cy March
YLG 3cy April
YLG 3cy May
YLG 3cy June
YLG 3cy July
YLG 3cy August
YLG 3cy September
YLG 3cy October
YLG 3cy November
YLG 3cy December
YLG
sub-ad Jan.
YLG sub-ad Feb.
YLG sub-ad March
YLG sub-ad April
YLG sub-ad May
YLG sub-ad June
YLG sub-ad July
YLG sub-ad Aug.
YLG sub-ad Sept.
YLG sub-ad Oct.
YLG sub-ad Nov.
YLG sub-ad Dec.
YLG
adult January
YLG adult February
YLG adult March
YLG adult April
YLG adult May
YLG adult June
YLG adult July
YLG adult August
YLG adult September
YLG adult October
YLG adult November
YLG adult December
photo 171: Yellow-legged Gull michahellis 2cy, November 15 2003, Westkapelle, the Netherlands (51.33N-03.25E).
All summer, 2cy michahellis are in
a complete moult, replacing all feathers, which eventually will bring
birds in so-called "second winter" plumage by October. After
completion, the head will show limited neat fine streaking and the
under-parts and rump turn pale, with some mottled brown at the flanks.
From early April, the inner primaries are shed and new second generation
primaries grown in. On average, 2cy michahellis shed the last
juvenile primary (P10) by the first week of August. The majority of michahellis
complete the primary moult by the first week of October, when the new
second generation P10 is fully grown. The new primaries are dark with a
tiny pale tip on the fresh flight-feathers. In michahellis, second
generation primaries show some contrast between outer and inner primaries:
the three inner primaries show a pale inner-web and brownish outer-web
(the black shaft-streak well visible), while the outer primaries have the
outer-web blackish brown and the pale greyish brown inner-web still
visible at P7.
The under-wing is largely pale with brown lesser under-wing coverts and
brown lines running over the tips of the median coverts. The second
generation tail-feathers show a clear-cut wedge-shaped blackish tail-band
with only isolated blackish markings on the white basal half of the
central rectrices. The outer tail-feathers normally show no isolated black
markings and in general the outer-webs are often clean white except the
sub-terminal band. The rump is largely white. The iris is pale brown. The
bill shows a pale pinkish base and often the very tip is translucent
white. The legs are salmon-pink with a yellow hue.
At the end of the complete moult, a partial moult takes place in September
and October. In this partial moult, 2cy birds normally include some
feathers, which were replaced first in line in the complete moult of last
summer (in May): upper tertials, median coverts, inner greater coverts and
randomly some lower lesser coverts.
The image below shows an advanced bird in November, more adult-like than average. The head and under-parts are largely white and the bare parts look more mature as well. Primary P10 is fully grown and all the secondaries and rectrices are second generation and complete. Hence, the complete moult has ended, as can be seen in most late-September 2cy michahellis. After this complete moult, a partial moult has included two upper tertials and wing-coverts. Most of the scapulars are grey.
