© A. R. Dean

First calendar-year Yellow-legged Gull is perhaps more difficult to identify with certainty than older birds. Some of the characters can be shown by variant Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls and in certain ways the appearance is somewhat intermediate between these two species. There can also be a superficial resemblance to first-year Great Black-backed Gull, deriving from the dark bill, pale head and variegated mantle and scapulars but the structure, dark outer gc, solid dark centres to tertials and the solid, broad, black tailband are clear differences from that species. In late summer and early autumn, the state of moult as well as the plumage pattern provides important clues. In the above photo, note the full set of fresh, new, first-winter scapulars, completed by this date, with sharply defined internal 'anchor marks' contrasting with pale greyish ground colour. Note also:  the robust configuration, the head-shape and the stout, dark bill contrasting with pale forehead and lores; the dusky area around eye on otherwise rather pale 'clean' head; solid dark centres to tertials with neat white fringes, well-defined at tips but fading out laterally towards greater coverts; inner greater coverts well variegated but outers with solid dark centres forming two-toned appearance to gc; unmarked whitish central belly and undertail; very black tailband (in flight contrasting strongly with very white base to tail and upper tail-coverts).

Home	YLG Photo Index