nominate Lesser Black-backed Gull (L. fuscus)

(last update: 9-11-2009)

Coordinators:
Amir Ben Dov (Israel)
Hannu Koskinen (Finland)
Mars Muusse (the Netherlands)

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fuscus rings

fuscus 1cy July
fuscus 1cy Aug
fuscus 1cy Sept
fuscus 1cy Oct
fuscus 1cy Nov
fuscus 1cy Dec

fuscus 2cy Jan
fuscus 2cy Feb
fuscus 2cy March
fuscus 2cy April
fuscus 2cy May
fuscus 2cy June
fuscus 2cy July
fuscus 2cy Aug
fuscus 2cy Sept
fuscus 2cy Oct
fuscus 2cy Nov

fuscus 2cy Dec

fuscus 3cy Jan
fuscus 3cy Feb
fuscus 3cy March
fuscus 3cy April
fuscus 3cy May
fuscus 3cy June
fuscus 3cy July
fuscus 3cy August

fuscus 3cy Sept

fuscus 3cy October
fuscus 3cy Nov
fuscus 3cy Dec

fuscus 4cy Jan
fuscus 4cy Feb
fuscus 4cy March
fuscus 4cy April
fuscus 4cy May
fuscus 4cy June
fuscus 4cy July
fuscus 4cy Aug
fuscus 4cy Sept

fuscus 4cy Oct
fuscus 4cy Nov
fuscus 4cy Dec

fuscus ad Jan
fuscus ad Feb
fuscus ad March
fuscus ad April
fuscus ad May
fuscus ad June
fuscus ad July
fuscus ad Aug
fuscus unringed Aug
fuscus ad Sept
fuscus ad Oct
fuscus ad Nov
fuscus ad Dec

(2 images) Larus fuscus fuscus / intermedius 2cy, August 04 2002, Stockholm, Sweden.

This bird is different from the 2cy fuscus seen in Finland in several respects. 
First, the very fresh second generation tail-feathers show a prominent white tip and the tail-feathers were most probably moulted after arrival in Scandinavia. In the short period we visited Stockholm and Tampere, no other 2cy fuscus shared this feature.
This 2cy bird is in active primary moult at p8. The second generation p8 is at the same length as p7 and p10 is still juvenile, but obviously not as abraded as seen in fuscus from Finland in the same week, as seen here or here. This bird may have spend the winter period at another location.

In other respects its plumage is in line with 2cy fuscus as it shows plain dark second generation scapulars and wing-coverts, which are now bleached paler brown by August. The median covert bar is in active moult with third generation dark grey, blackish feathers growing in. However this plumage can be found in intermedius as well. A few lower scapulars are missing and the oldest scapulars are very pale brown now.

Have a look at the August LBBG Section to find the tail-feather moult and primary moult in graellsii / intermedius.