Yellow-legged Gull- Geelpootmeeuw (L. michahellis): 2cy October

(last update: 08 december 2003)

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photo 6625: Yellow-legged Gull michahellis 2cy, October 01 2001, Le Portel, France.

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 upper two tertials have been replaced and the third and the fifth are growing. The new tertials are adult-like grey, although the white tips are not as prominent as in full adult tertials. The tail-feathers show neat white tips and the outer tail-feather R6 has only limited black on the outer-web. Most of the scapulars are grey now, just a few lower scapulars have a brown centre and abraded white fringes.
In the partial moult, the inner two greater coverts have been replaced for greyish feathers. Many median coverts have been replaced as well. In many michahellis, like in this individual, it's the sixth and seventh median covert still showing a second generation like pattern. Most immature patterned coverts can be found in the outermost lesser coverts, in the carpal edge. The head-feathers were moulted recently, now showing very neat fine dark shaft-streaks.