Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

(last update: 19-03-2014)

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Maarten van Kleinwee

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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

Hybrids

Plumages

Migration

Black-headed Gull - Adult May

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

Introduction

Adult Black-headed Gulls in May 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”.

 

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult E9KF.
May 5, 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 E9MM.
May 14, 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 E5CP.
May 14, 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 E5CJ.
May 14, 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 E5CN.
May 14, 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 E5AV.
May 14, 2010, Zoetermeer, Benthuizerplas, The Netherlands
(52.076N, 4.532E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.