Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

(last update: 3-04-2011)

Moderators:
Tim Audenaert
Maarten van Kleinwee

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BHG 1cy May
BHG 1cy June
BHG 1cy July
BHG 1cy August
BHG 1cy September
BHG 1cy October
BHG 1cy November
BHG 1cy December

BHG 2cy January
BHG 2cy Febuary
BHG 2cy March
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BHG adult January
BHG adult Febuary
BHG adult March
BHG adult April
BHG adult May
BHG adult June
BHG adult July
BHG adult August
BHG adult September
BHG adult October
BHG adult November
BHG adult December

Below: Black-headed Gull Praha ES11.300, December 26, 2009, Buitenhoflaan, Leiderdorp, The Netherlands (52.167N, 4.528E). Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.

First-calendar year Black-headed Gull in first-winter (formative) plumage. During the post-juvenile moult, all feathers are replaced except those on the wings and in the tail. The body and head turn completely white, leaving a head pattern similar to adults (with a black ear spot and faint bars from ear to ear and eye to eye across the head). The legs turn orange and the bill orange with a white tip. In the lower image, note the dark outer webs of P8-P10, markings which can be retained in later years. The outer tail feathers are fully white.

(Ringing data: May 29, 2009, Hermanice, Ostrava, Czech Republic, 49'52' N 10'20' E)