Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

(last update: 19-03-2014)

Moderators:
Tim Audenaert
Maarten van Kleinwee

Home

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
BHG 2cy April
BHG 2cy May
BHG 2cy June
BHG 2cy July
BHG 2cy August
BHG 2cy September
BHG 2cy October
BHG 2cy November
BHG 2cy December

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

Hybrids

Plumages

Migration

Black-headed Gull - Adult April

This section deals with adult Black-headed Gulls in the month of April.

Introduction

Adult Black-headed Gulls in April are in full summer plumage.

This plumage is characterized as follows:

  • Head: Hood rather small and elliptical shape, not extending to nape. Colouration is dark chocolate-brown, rear margin darkest. White crescents above and below eye, usually  joining at rear. Orbital ring maroon- red. Iris brown. Bill dark maroon- red. Mouth and gape btright red. Hindneck white.
  • Upperparts and most of wing coverts: mid grey. Marginal coverts and outer primaries coverts: white.
  • Upperwing ‘tricoloured’: grey, with a white triangle on the outer primaries (P7-P10) and a black wing-tip pattern on p5-p10.
    • p7-p10: white (P10 with black edge of outer web not reaching tip)
    • p5-p10: black-tipped, extending on to inner edge of inner web
    • p1-p6: grey with blackish-grey innerwebs on p1-p5
    • secondaries: grey with white tips
  • Underwing: outer primaries white, dark tipped, mid primaries dark
  • Axillaries and lesser underwingcoverts: greyish-white
  • Legs dark reddish.  
  • Tail: all white

Most of the description follows: 
P.J. Grant: "Gulls, a guide to identification".
K.M.Olsen: “Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America”.

 

Third-calendar year
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull 3cy Arnhem 3649106.
April 18, 2010, Starrevaart, Leidschendam, The Netherlands
(52.10N 04.43E)
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult H-H.
April 2, 2013, Oosterpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (52.21N, 4.55E)
Photo: Anders Svensson.

Adult

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult 5.1.
April 2, 2013, Oosterpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (52.21N, 4.55E)
Photo: Anders Svensson.

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult E5RE.
April 2, 2011, Zoetermeer, Benthuizerplas, The Netherlands
(52.076N, 4.532E)
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult A-E.
April 2, 2013, Oosterpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (52.21N, 4.55E)
Photo: Anders Svensson.

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult A-F.
April 2, 2013, Oosterpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (52.21N, 4.55E)
Photo: Anders Svensson.

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult E9MF.
April 2, 2013, Oosterpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (52.21N, 4.55E)
Photo: Anders Svensson.

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult X-K.
April 2, 2013, Oosterpark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (52.21N, 4.55E)
Photo: Anders Svensson.

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult E5AV.
April 11, 2010, Zoetermeer, Benthuizerplas, The Netherlands
(52.076N, 4.532E)
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult E5CZ.
April 11, 2010, Zoetermeer, Benthuizerplas, The Netherlands
(52.076N, 4.532E)
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult E9KF.
April 20, 2010, Starrevaart, Leidschendam, The Netherlands
(52.10N 04.43E)

Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.