Herring Gull (argentatus & argenteus)

(last update: February 11, 2013)

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

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hg rings

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 - sub-adults 4cy/5cy February

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: U.K.
1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Herring Gull A3CV 4cy (argenteus), February 26 2008, Boulogne/Mer, France. Pictures J-M Sauvage.
rings argenteus: France
2cy argenteus in March, ringed in France. (57822 bytes)Herring Gull ZTA 4cy (argenteus), February 05 2012,Boulogne/Mer, France (50.42N,1.34E). Picture: J-M Sauvage.
rings argenteus: Belgium
sub-adult argenteus in February, ringed in Belgium. (70463 bytes)Herring Gull AXAZ 4cy (argenteus), February 2002, Port of Calais, northern France (50,41N 1,35E). Picture by Jean-Pierre Leys.
1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Herring Gull H-132449 4cy (argenteus), February 23 2007, Oostende, Belgium. Picture Ies Meulmeester.
sub-adult argenteus in February, ringed in Belgium. (55373 bytes)Herring Gull H-108933 4cy (argenteus), February 07 2003, Boulogne/Mer, France (50.43N-01.37E).
sub-adult argenteus in February, ringed in Belgium. (71840 bytes)Herring Gull H-108929 4cy (argenteus), February 07 2003, Boulogne/Mer, France (50.43N-01.37E). This individual was seen also seen in January 2002.
  rings argenteus: the Netherlands
  2cy argenteus in February, ringed in the Netherlands. (27385 bytes)Herring Gull 5W 4cy (argenteus), February 11 2010, Boulogne/Mer, France. Photo: J-M Sauvage.
  sub-adult argenteus in February, ringed in the Netherlands. (78995 bytes)Herring Gull 5.325.398 4cy (argenteus), February 04 2002, IJmuiden, the Netherlands (52.27N-04.33E). Ringed July 02 1999, IJmuiden as pullus.

unringed 4cy Herring Gulls


 unringed sub-adult (5cy) Herring Gulls
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 27 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 27 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 27 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 28 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 28 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 27 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 28 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 27 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. 3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull sub-adult / 5cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.  
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.  
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.  
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.  
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.  
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 27 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.  
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 25 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.  
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 07 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.  
sub-adult argenteus in February. (72787 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy (argenteus), February 04 2002, IJmuiden, the Netherlands (52.27N-04.33E).   
3cy argentatus in January. (80207 bytes)Herring Gull 4cy, February 01 2012, Scheveningen, the Netherlands.