Herring Gull- Zilvermeeuw (argentatus & argenteus)

(last update: December 15, 2011 )

Coordinators:
Jean-Michel Sauvage (France)
Mars Muusse (the Netherlands)

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Herring Gull plumages:

hg 1cy July
hg 1cy August
hg 1cy September
hg 1cy October
hg 1cy November
hg 1cy December

hg 2cy January
hg 2cy February
hg 2cy March
hg 2cy April
hg 2cy May
hg 2cy June
hg 2cy July
hg 2cy August
hg 2cy September
hg 2cy October
hg 2cy November
hg 2cy December

hg 3cy January
hg 3cy February
hg 3cy March
hg 3cy April
hg 3cy May
hg 3cy June
hg 3cy July
hg 3cy August
hg 3cy September
hg 3cy October
hg 3cy November
hg 3cy December

hg sub-ad January
hg sub-ad February
hg sub-ad March
hg sub-ad April
hg sub-ad May
hg sub-ad June
hg sub-ad July
hg sub-ad August
hg sub-ad September
hg sub-ad October
hg sub-ad November
hg sub-ad December

hg ad January
hg ad February
hg ad March
hg ad April
hg ad May
hg ad June
hg ad July
hg ad August
hg ad September
hg ad October
hg ad November
hg ad December

 

Herring Gull - 3cy January

Introduction

This website deals with the Herring Gulls of the taxa argentatus and argenteus. Argenteus is an abundant breeding species on Iceland, Britain, NW France, Belgium, the Netherlands and N Germany. The taxon argentatus breeds in NE Europe, from Denmark, the coast of the Baltic Sea, Scandinavia and coast of the White Sea. In the centre of the breeding range (Denmark and the NW German coast), birds show intermediate characteristics, indicating there is a cline in argenteus-argentatus. Argenteus in Western Europe is pale-backed, slightly smaller and with relatively much black in the wing-tip; argentatus in the NE Europe is larger, slightly darker on upper-parts and show less black in the wing-tip.
Due to the large breeding range, there is much intra-specific variation in argentatus, with most large, powerful birds in the northern populations, showing the most darkest upper-parts, longest wing and most white in the outer-wing. In this region, some populations may hold substantial number of yellow-legged argentatus. (referred to as "Finnmark yellow-legged argentatus"). In adult plumage, the black sub-terminal spot on P5 is often lacking or strongly reduced to a diffuse streak, broken at the centre. Sometimes P6 lacks black as well. 
In the Baltic region, other yellow-legged argentatus populations occur ("Baltic yellow-legged argentatus"), with adults showing even brighter yellow legs in summer and the upper-parts only slightly darker than West European argenteus, still much paler than Yellow-legged Gull (michahellis). Those Baltic argentatus often show a black sub-terminal spot on P5 in adult plumage.
On these web-pages, we largely follow P.J. Grant: "Gulls, a guide to identification" and E.K Barth's publication as Contribution No. 86, Zoological Museum, University of Oslo: "The circumpolar systematics of Larus argentatus and Larus fuscus with special reference to the Norwegian populations".

 rings argenteus: UK
2cy argenteus in July, ringed in the Netherlands. (103953 bytes)Herring Gull A7KW 3cy (argenteus), January 11 2012, Calais, France (50.42N 1.34E).
rings argenteus: Belgium
3cy argenteus in January, ringed in Belgium. (82676 bytes)Herring Gull H-112075 3cy (argenteus), January 05 2002, Boulogne/Mer, France (50.42N 1.34E).
3cy argenteus in January, ringed in Belgium. (84279 bytes)Herring Gull H-108929 3cy (argenteus), January 05 2002, Boulogne/Mer, France (50.42N 1.34E).
rings argenteus: Netherlands
2cy argenteus in July, ringed in the Netherlands. (103953 bytes)Herring Gull 5.463.321 3cy (argenteus), January 08 2012, IJmuiden, the Netherlands.

3cy argenteus in January, ringed in the Netherlands. (68274 bytes)Herring Gull 5.417.498 3cy (argenteus), January 08 2009, Ijmuiden, the Netherlands.

3cy argenteus in January, ringed in the Netherlands. (68274 bytes)Herring Gull 5.363.361 3cy (argenteus), January 23 2003, Ijmuiden, the Netherlands.
rings argentatus: Norway
2cy argentatus in February, ringed in Russia. (84802 bytes)Herring Gull J2145 3cy (argentatus), January-February 2012, Scheveningen, Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. juvenile LBBG in October, ringed in Norway. (131273 bytes)Herring Gull J2701 3cy (argentatus), January 04 2012, Neeltje Jans, Zeeland, The Netherlands (51°36'58"N 003°41'32"E). Pictures: Pim Wolf.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. juvenile LBBG in October, ringed in Norway. (131273 bytes)Herring Gull JN336 3cy (argentatus), January 09 2012, Neeltje Jans, Zeeland, The Netherlands (51°36'58"N 003°41'32"E). Pictures: Pim Wolf.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. juvenile LBBG in October, ringed in Norway. (131273 bytes)Herring Gull JC98 3cy (argentatus), January 15 2008, Den Haag, the Netherlands. Picture: Ies Meulmeester.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. rings argentatus: Finland
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argenteus in January, ringed in Finland. (80511 bytes)Herring Gull C033V 3cy (argentatus), January 15 2004, Lubna rubbish dump, Poland (52°02'N 21°08'E).
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argenteus in January, ringed in Finland. (71023 bytes)Herring Gull C253R 3cy (argentatus), January 13-15 2004, Lubna rubbish dump, Poland (52°02'N 21°08'E).
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. rings argentatus: Russia
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (74361 bytes)Herring Gull KA80 3cy (argentatus), January 15 2004, Lubna rubbish dump, Poland (52°02'N 21°08'E).
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Herring Gull KV48 3cy (argentatus), January 2008, Boulogne/Mer, France.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. unringed 3cy Herring Gulls
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argenteus), January 06 2012, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argentatus), January 20 2012, Scheveningen, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 23 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argentatus), January 16 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 06 2012, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 06 2012, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 16 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 16 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 16 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 16 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
  3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argentatus), January 20 2012, Scheveningen, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 16 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argentatus), January 20 2012, Scheveningen, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, 4cy & adult, January 16 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argentatus), January 04 2002, Boulogne/Mer, France (50.42N 1.34E).
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argentatus), January 06 2012, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (78094 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argentatus), January 04 2002, Boulogne/Mer, France (50.42N 1.34E).
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argentatus), January 06 2012, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (71812 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argentatus), January 03 2002, Boulogne/Mer, France (50.42N 1.34E).
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy, January 16 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80362 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argentatus), January 04 2002, Boulogne/Mer, France (50.42N 1.34E).
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argentatus), January 20 2012, Scheveningen, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (87966 bytes)Herring Gull 3cy (argentatus), January 04 2002, Boulogne/Mer, France (50.42N 1.34E).