Caspian Gulls L. cachinnas
Some
1st winter (and one 1st summer) birds are depicted on
this page. All these birds are fairly typical for this plumage. Most seldom I
saw much darker or lighter toned birds e.g. with a more creamy or streaked
head. This plumage therefore appears to be a rather consistent one with
marginal variation. Variation comes mostly in size. The largest male can easily
be larger than any Herring Gull L. argentatus.
Picture
taken by Nico Geiregat at
A typical bird. Note its long and thin legs. Its slender appearance
and its small bill suggest this bird being a female. Compare
this with the 1st winter below.
Another 1st winter individual, photographed on the VAM rubbish-dump near
Wijster on 24 October 1999.
A more rusty-toned bird. Note its firm parallel bill. Note also the
white head and the typical pattern of the tertials and greater coverts. The
scapulars have a dark shaft and an obscure anchor and appear very pale, whereas
Yellow-Legged Gull L. michahellis normally shows a broad dark anchor,
contributing to a darker looking 1st winter mantle. Compare this with the 1st
winter YLG depicted below.
1st
winter Yellow-legged Gull L. michahellis. VAM
rubbish-dump near Wijster, Drenthe, 31 October 1999.
The same Caspian Gull as above. Its headshape is apparently
more rounded when the bird is not too alert.
1st
winter Caspian Gull. Scheveningen, Nov. 1998. Picture by Nils van Duivendijk.
A rather dark individual with a streaked head and mottled underparts. The bill already
has a pink base. This can be greenish in some birds. Scapulars, greater coverts
and tertials are typical for this plumage.
First-summer bird, photographed by Theo Bakker at Terschelling on 16 May 1999.
The same
bird is depicted below.
More
Caspian pictures can be found at Martin Reid's website!
More pictures of 1st
winter Caspian Gulls, photographed in November
Pictures of a juvenile
Caspian Gull
Picture of juvenile/1st winter
Yellow-legged Gulls
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