photo 404: Yellow-legged Gull michahellis
adult, November 23 2003, Sète, S France.
Typical adult michahellis. By November, the primary moult is
completed. In adult michahellis, the orbital ring is red, the iris
is often clear yellow without speckling, the bill and legs are yellow and
the red gonydeal spot continues on the upper mandible (unlike most argenteus).
Note the small black spot on the cutting edge, which is not uncommon in
adult birds in winter. The mirror on P10 is almost separated from the white tip
by a complete sub-terminal band, which is just broken at the center along
the shaft.
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