Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

(last update: 19-03-2014)

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BHG adult January
BHG adult Febuary
BHG adult March
BHG adult April
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Black-headed Gull - Adult February

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

Introduction

Partial moult into summer plumage (head and body) usually takes place December to April, but majority January to March. Moult starts with surrounding dark head-stripes. Hindneck generally first, forehead and chin latest. From June on, hood becomes gradually paler and duller.

Adult summer 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 Latvia S7823.
Februar 6, 2011, Zijlpoort, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.161N, 4.504E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
Adult
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult E5RE.
February 1, 2011, Zijlpoort, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.161N, 4.504E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult U.K.
February 1, 2011. Maresingel, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.164, 4.498E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult LAC.
February 2, 2003, Erasmuspark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
(52.22N-04.51E).
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult 6.6.
February 6, 2006, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
(52.21N,04.55E).
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult Bruxelles 5T77922.
February 6, 2010, Maresingel, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.164, 4.498E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult E0CU.
February 6, 2011, Zijlpoort, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.161N, 4.504E)
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult Arnhem 3618174.
February 8, 2011, Maresingel, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.164, 4.498E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult LBP.
February 11, 2011, Zijlpoort, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.161N, 4.504E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult Helsinki ST228658.
February 11, 2011, Maresingel, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.164, 4.498E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult TC69.
February 19, 2011, Buitenhoflaan, Leiderdorp, The Netherlands (52.167N, 4.528E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull 3cy E5HX.
February 19, 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 Arnhem 3618174.
February 20, 2010, Maresingel, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.164, 4.498E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult Arnhem 3618185.
February 21, 2010, Leiden, The Netherlands (52.153N, 4.498E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult LEK.
February 21, 2010, Leiden, The Netherlands (52.153N, 4.498E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult U.K.
February 22, 2011, Maresingel, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.164, 4.498E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult Arnhem 3618180.
February 22, 2011, Maresingel, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.164, 4.498E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult Helsinki ST228658.
February 22, 2011, Maresingel, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.164, 4.498E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.

1cy Black-headed Gull in July. (85237 bytes)Black-headed Gull adult Arnhem 3618174.
February 27, 2010, Maresingel, Leiden, The Netherlands
(52.164, 4.498E).
Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.