L. michahellis: 3cy April

General description:

By April, 3cy michahellis show an almost similar plumage as 2cy October birds. There is hardly any additional moult in the wing-coverts, but in general the grey 'saddle' becomes more prominent. 3cy michahellis in spring typically has the bare part rich-coloured, i.e. deep yellow legs, pale iris, obvious yellow bill-base, red gonydeal spot, although often (semi) obscured by the black bill-band.

Moult stage and pace of remiges and rectrices:

By late-April, 3cy michahellis may show moult in the rectrices, a featured shared with 3cy LBBG in April. Primaries and secondaries are all presnt by April; the complete moult will start in May.

Timing and strategy of April moult

The complete moult will take all the summer months, in which 3cy michahellis will replace all the scapulars, wing-coverts, tertials and flight-feathers. This complete moult starts with dropping the innermost primaries, often from the second week of May onwards. By April, the partial spring moult just ends, leaving birds with clean white heads and rich-coloured bare parts. The last immature patterned scapulars have been replaced as well in the partial moult, now creating a complete grey saddle (mantle and scapulars), contrasting with the barred lesser coverts.

Movements

By April, only very few 3cy michahellis can be found along the coasts of SW Netherlands and NW France. The majority remains at lower latitudes. Those which are present at Etaples (about 5-10 individuals by April 30 2003), probably belong to michahellis from the colonies of Marseille and the Mediterranean coast.

Tables

No tables.

michahellis 3cy male, April 25 2011, Tel Aviv - University Garden, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov. Breeding.