nominate Lesser Black-backed Gull (L. f. fuscus)

(last update: 18-1-2010)

Larus fuscus fuscus adult, January 08 2010, Ashdod, Israel. Picture Amir Ben Dov.

Unringed adult nominate fuscus by January. P8 fully grown, P9 is growing and at about 3/4th of its final length, P10 is about halfway. Active moult in the secondaries. The secondary row is moulted from two locations: the first moult wave starts at S1 (outermost secondary, next to the first primary P1). Shortly later, another secondary moult wave will start from the body, outwards. The two waves will meet at about S16-S18, that is where the gap is in this bird.

Interestingly, on the underwing, all central and outer greater coverts are missing, which would indicate another moult sequence than what would be expected in the complete moult for adult white-headed gulls from N Europe.