(Near-)adult Herring Gulls



Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

1: © Ruud Altenburg, 16-01-04. Red P054, ringed as pullus 10-05-97 in Tyrzyn Dworski, Poland.


Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

2: © Ruud Altenburg, 16-01-04. Matsalu ring (Estonia) only partially read.


Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

3: © Ruud Altenburg, 15-01-04. Matsalu ring (Estonia) only partially read.


Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

4: © Mars Muusse, 14-01-04.


Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

5: © Mars Muusse, 15-01-04.


Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

6: © Ruud Altenburg, 15-01-04.


Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

7: © Mars Muusse, 15-01-04. This bird demonstrates that argentatus too can appear long-winged and have a long, white (cachinnans-like) tongue on P10.


Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

8: © Ruud Altenburg, 15-01-04.


Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

9: © Ruud Altenburg, 15-01-04. Herring Gulls from the Baltic sometimes have bright yellow legs and a red orbital ring, thus recalling Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis). Most, like this adult, can easily be separated from michahellis by the amount of head streaking (michahellis normally has an all-white head by January). Usually yellow-legged argentatus also has an incomplete or thin black band on P5 (complete and broad in michahellis; not visible on this picture). Some yellow-legged birds, like this one, are very difficult to identify.


Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

10: © Ruud Altenburg, 13-01-04.


Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

11: © Ruud Altenburg, 17-01-04.


Herring Gull - Larus argentatus

12: © Ruud Altenburg, 17-01-04. Dark-eyed (near-)adult argentatus. Note that the tongue merges with the mirror on P10, creating a thayeri-pattern.