Yellow-legged Gull - Geelpootmeeuw (L. michahellis): 3cy October

(last update: 08 december 2003)

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(2 images) Yellow-legged Gull michahellis 3cy, October 01 2001, Le Portel, France (50.42N,1.34E).

An individual showing delayed moult in the primaries: P7 is fully grown and all old primaries have been shed. The relative low primary moult stage is mirrored by the secondaries: the secondaries normally moulted last in line (S17-S18) are still old second generation, just visible below the fifth greater covert.

Note the immature broad dark bill-band, pinkish base of the bill and the red spot, almost completely obscured by the black. The complete moult in the upper-parts and head-feathers have been finished, leaving birds with typical streaked heads on crown, nape and ear-coverts. 
It has relatively small tips on the outer primaries P7-P10 and immature barring in the wing-coverts: barring on the lower tertials,  brown feathers in the outer lesser coverts (the carpal edge), the outer lower lesser coverts and outer greater coverts.
The partial moult is in progress in this bird, as the outer median coverts have been dropped and the inner lower lesser coverts are growing.