Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

(last update: 19-03-2014)

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Black-headed Gull - 2cy September

This section deals with second-calendar year Black-headed Gulls in the month of September.

Introduction

In September, second-calendar year Black-headed Gulls are in ’adult winter plumage. This second winter plumage is adult like but a small minority of gulls can be distinguished as ‘second winter plumage’ from 2cy August-3cy February by dark markings on tertials, outer primary coverts and alula.

Adult winter plumage is characterized as follows:   

  • Head: white with dark ear spots and traces of vertical bars above eyes. Moult of head starts with forehead, developing backwards.
  • Hindneck and underbody: white
  • Bare parts: bill deep red with dark tip, legs dark reddish, iris dark brown
  • Upperwing ‘tricoloured’:
    • p7-p10: white (with black edge of outer web not reaching tip on p10)
    • p5-p10: black-tipped, extending on to inner edge of inner web
    • p4-p7: with white extreme tip
    • p1-p6: grey with blackish-grey innerwebs on p1-p5
    • secondaries: grey with white tips
  • Underwing: outer primaries white, dark tipped, mid primaries dark
  • 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”.