Herring Gull- Zilvermeeuw (argentatus & argenteus)

(last update: December 15, 2011 )

Herring Gull adults July

Introduction

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.


above: Herring Gull adult, July 31 2015, Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

adult Herring Gull in July:

Adult argenteus is in active moult, with the primary moult in progress. Simultaneously, the median coverts and the outer greater coverts are replaced and strongly contrast with the abraded adjacent wing-coverts.


above: Herring Gull adult, July 31 2015, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. Bird injured at one eye.

Wing-tip pattern in adult Herring Gull argentatus / argenteus.

At severallocation wing-tip patterns of Herring Gulls have been scored. Data set is too small to make any firm statements, but if people like to cooperate, the classifiocation can be fopund here.

Thayeri pattern on P9 and/or P10.
2 White tips on P9 and P10.
3 White tip on P10, black triangles on P9, mirror P9 on both webs.
4 Black triangles on P9 and P10.
5 White tip on P10, full band on P9, mirror P9 on both webs.
6 Black triangles on P10, full band on P9.
7 Full bands on P9 and P10, mirror P9 on both webs.
8 Black triangles on P10, mirror P9 only on inner-web.
9   Incomplete band on P10, mirror P9 only on inner-web.
10  Full band on P10, mirror P9 only on inner-web.
11 Incomplete band on P10, no mirror on P9.
12 Complete band on P10, no mirror on P9.
  Score of P5:
I No black on P5 (e.g. fig 1 & 2).
II Diffuse black on outer-web of P5 (e.g. fig 3).
III Sharp triangle on outer-web of P5 (e.g. fig 4 & 7-12).
IV Sharp triangle on outer-web, diffuse line on inner-web (e.g. fig 5).
V Complete band on P5 (e.g. fig 6).
  Score of division line between grey centre and black medial band:
A Sharp division between grey and black.
B Diffuse division between grey and black.

Tables & Graph

remaining SPRING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

starting date:

 30 Apr

 07 May

14 May

21 May

04 Jun

11 Jun

30 Jul

week no:

18

19

20

21

23

24

31

0

0

0

0

0

 

 

0

1

0

0

0

0

 

 

0

2

0

0

0

0

 

 

1

3

0

0

0

0

 

 

1

4

0

0

0

0

 

 

37

5

0

0

0

0

 

 

22

6

0

0

0

0

 

 

3

7

3

2

1

2

 

 

0

8

16

22

26

18

1

1

0

9

30

13

16

10

1

 

0

10

66

33

37

10

 

 

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

n=

115

70

80

40

2

1

64

average REM P:

9.4

9.1

9.1

8.7

8.5

8.0

4.4

95% CID =

0.15

0.23

0.20

0.29

6.35

 

0.17

inverse =

1.98

1.99

1.99

2.02

12.71

 

2.00

Variantie (s2) =

0.68

0.90

0.84

0.83

0.50

 

0.46

SD (s) =

0.82

0.95

0.91

0.91

0.71

 

0.68

SE (sx) =

0.08

0.11

0.10

0.14

0.50

 

0.09

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

% class:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

58

5

0

0

0

0

0

0

34

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

5

7

3

3

1

5

0

0

0

8

14

31

33

45

50

100

0

9

26

19

20

25

50

0

0

10

57

47

46

25

0

0

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

% control:

100

100

100

100

100

100

100

  Table above, data for the Netherlands (2000-2010), results for spring & summer (aggregated week): number of remaining old primaries in adults.
0 = 0 old primaries left (P10 dropped); 10 = all 10 primaries still old and present.


Above: Scatter Plot for PMS in adult Herring Gulls. Number of remaining old primaries throughout the year. Sample size is 1.329 birds.

rings argenteus: U.K.
1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Herring Gull A3CV 4cy-5cy (argenteus), July 15 2009, Boulogne/Mer, France. Pictures J-M Sauvage.
1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Herring Gull T4JT adult, July 26 2015, Le Portel / Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
rings argenteus: France
Herring GullHerring Gull 2PA adult (argenteus), July 29 2011, Calais, France. Picture: J-M Sauvage.
rings argenteus: Belgium
Herring GullHerring Gull H-5094912+cy (argenteus), 2010-2011, Leiden, the Netherlands.
1cy argenteus in August, ringed in Belgium. (90559 bytes)Herring Gull BLB H-117941 adult (argenteus), July 30 2010, Neeltje Jans, the Netherlands.
adult argenteus in October, ringed in Belgium. (60142 bytes)Herring Gull H-125375 adult (argenteus), July 27 2010, Neeltje Jans, the Netherlands.
adult argenteus in October, ringed in Belgium. (60142 bytes)Herring Gull (argenteus) BLB H-127486 adult, July 15 2012, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. 
Herring GullHerring Gull H-132860 adult (argenteus), April-July 19 2012, Calais, France. Picture: J-M Sauvage.
adult argenteus in October, ringed in Belgium. (60142 bytes)Herring Gull H-136581 7cy (argenteus), July 11 2010, IJmuiden, the Netherlands.
Herring GullHerring Gull H-137283 adult (argenteus), July 17 2012, Calais, France. Picture: J-M Sauvage.
rings argenteus: the Netherlands
3cy argenteus in May, ringed in Belgium. (71617 bytes) Herring Gull argenteus JB adult, August 2015, May 2016 - March 2017, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
2cy argenteus in July, ringed in Belgium. (65600 bytes)Herring Gull J.C adult (argenteus), July 24 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands.
adult argenteus in October, ringed in the Netherlands. (79042 bytes)Herring Gull SZ 6cy (argenteus), July 29 2011, Barneveld, Netherlands.
Herring GullHerring Gull (argenteus) 5W 1CY-11CY, November 2007 - July 2017, Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. Picture: J-M Sauvage.
1cy argenteus in August, ringed in Belgium. (90559 bytes)Herring Gull Y.ACB adult (argenteus), July 09 2008, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
1cy argenteus in August, ringed in Belgium. (90559 bytes)Herring Gull Y.APS adult (argenteus),July 11 2010, IJmuiden, the Netherlands.
1cy argenteus in August, ringed in Belgium. (90559 bytes)Herring Gull (argenteus) Y.BAH adult, July 2014 & October 2017, IJmuiden, the Netherlands.
1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Herring Gull (argenteus) Y.BDS 1CY-5CY, September 2012 - August 2016, IJmuiden, the Netherlands. Pictures: Maarten van Kleinwee & Mars Muusse.
1cy argenteus in August, ringed in Belgium. (90559 bytes)Herring Gull Y.BNZ adult (argenteus), July 30 2014, IJmuiden, the Netherlands.
1cy argenteus in August, ringed in Belgium. (90559 bytes)Herring Gull Y.BPN adult (argenteus), July 30 2014, IJmuiden, the Netherlands.
1cy argenteus in November, ringed in Belgium. (25637 bytes)Herring Gull (argenteus) Y.BRB adult, July 04 2016, IJmuiden, the Netherlands. Picture: Maarten van Kleinwee.
Herring GullHerring Gull (argenteus) Y.CAZ adult, July 18 2016, IJmuiden, the Netherlands.
1cy argenteus in August, ringed in Belgium. (90559 bytes)Herring Gull M.ABW adult (argenteus), December 2009 & July 2010, the Netherlands.
1cy argenteus in August, ringed in Belgium. (90559 bytes)Herring Gull M.ALW adult (argenteus), July 25 2010, Texel, the Netherlands.
Herring GullHerring Gull DA 24-27cy (argenteus, 2009-2010, Leiden, Netherlands.
adult argenteus in October, ringed in the Netherlands. (79042 bytes)Herring Gull E261 5-7cy (argenteus), 2009-2011, Leiden, Netherlands. Pictures: M v Kleinwee.
adult argenteus in October, ringed in the Netherlands. (79042 bytes)Herring Gull NLA.5.229.360 5+cy (argenteus), July 18 2010, IJmuiden, the Netherlands.
3cy argenteus in May, ringed in Belgium. (71617 bytes) Herring Gull argenteus NLA 5.352.687 13CY, 16CY & 17CY, November 2013 & May 2016 - July 2017, Katwijk aan Zee, the Netherlands.
1cy argenteus in August, ringed in Belgium. (90559 bytes)Herring Gull NLA.5.361.182 11+cy (argenteus), July 16 2007, IJmuiden, the Netherlands.
1cy argenteus in August, ringed in Belgium. (90559 bytes)Herring Gull NLA.5.413.553 6+cy (argenteus), July 16 2007, IJmuiden, the Netherlands.
Herring GullHerring Gull 5.419.235 5cy (argenteus), 2010-2011, Leiden, Netherlands..
Herring GullHerring Gull (argenteus) NLA 5424838 adult, November 2009, December 2010, July 2011, July 2016 & April 2017, IJmuiden, the Netherlands.
Herring GullHerring Gull 5.460.041 4+cy (argenteus), July 16 2011, Texel, Netherlands.
Herring GullHerring Gull argenteus 6.125.871 5CY, 8CY & 9CY, 2012 & 2015-2016, IJmuiden, the Netherlands.
Herring GullHerring Gull 6.166.494 5cy (argenteus), July 30 2014, IJmuiden, Netherlands.
adult argenteus in July. (71636 bytes)Herring Gull adult (argenteus), July 14 2001, IJmuiden, the Netherlands (52.27N 04.33E). Ringed blue and green on the right leg.
rings argentatus: Finland
adult argentatus in July, ringed in Finland. (76731 bytes)Herring Gull C511L 8cy (argentatus), July 15 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E).
adult argentatus in July, ringed in Finland. (74445 bytes)Herring Gull C798 8cy (argentatus), July 11-15 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E).
adult argentatus in July, ringed in Finland. (77468 bytes)Herring Gull CN13 8cy (argentatus), July 17 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E).
adult argentatus in July, ringed in Finland. (75539 bytes)Herring Gull C240 7cy (argentatus), July 16 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E).
adult argentatus in July, ringed in Finland. (72835 bytes)Herring Gull CT70 7cy (argentatus), July 15 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E).
sub-adult argentatus in July, ringed in Finland. (65906 bytes)Herring Gull C60P8 5cy (argentatus), July 15 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E).
adult argentatus in July, ringed in Finland. (79469 bytes)Herring Gull CN115 6cy (argentatus), July 15 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E).
adult argentatus in July, ringed in Finland. (73185 bytes)Herring Gull CV106 6cy (argentatus), July 15-16 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E).
adult argentatus in July, ringed in Finland. (71860 bytes)Herring Gull HT-093728 adult (argentatus), July 10 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). Probably HT-098728, ringed Helsinki July 05 1985, now in 19cy.
adult argentatus in July, ringed in Finland. (82805 bytes)Herring Gull HT-118929 adult (argentatus), July 15 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E)
adult argentatus in July, ringed in Finland. (65380 bytes)Herring Gull HT-122250 adult (argentatus), July 13 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). 
adult argentatus in July, ringed in Finland. (78426 bytes)Herring Gull HT-162623 adult (argentatus), July 16 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). 
unringed adult Herring Gulls
Herring Gull adult, July 09 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: 0.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: 0.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: 0.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: 0.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: 0.
Herring Gull adult, July 09 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P1/P3.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P1/P3.
Herring Gull adult, July 09 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P2/P4.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P2/P4.
Herring Gull adult, July 09 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P2/P5. Almost thayeri on both P9 and P10.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P2/P5.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P2/P5.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P2/P5.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P2/P5.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P2/P5.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 31 2013, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P2/P5.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 31 2013, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P2/P6.
Herring Gull adult, July 09 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P3/P4.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 31 2013, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P3/P5.
Herring Gull adult, July 09 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P3/P6.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 18 2013, Katwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P3/P6.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 31 2013, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P3/P6.
2cy argentatus in July. (70842 bytes)Herring Gull adult, July 31 2013, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. PMS: P3/P6.
adult argentatus in July. (79706 bytes)Herring Gull adult (argentatus), July 14 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). 2 birds: code 6 and 6I.
adult argentatus in July. (76246 bytes)Herring Gull adult (argentatus), July 14-15 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). 2 birds: code 6IV and 5IIIA.
adult argentatus in July. (75518 bytes)Herring Gull adult (argentatus), July 14 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). 3 birds: code 6, 5IIIA & 5A.
adult argentatus in July. (74350 bytes)Herring Gull adult (argentatus), July 14 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). 3 birds: code 5A, 6A & 1IA.
adult argentatus in July. (79353 bytes)Herring Gull adult (argentatus), July 11-14 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). 3 birds: code 7IV, 5 & 1IA.
adult argentatus in July. (64867 bytes)Herring Gull adult (argentatus), July 15 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). 3 birds: code 7III, 7VA & 1IA.
adult argentatus in July. (75871 bytes)Herring Gull adult (argentatus), July 15 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). 2 birds: code 6IA.
adult argentatus in July. (63899 bytes)Herring Gull adult (argentatus), July 14 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). Yellow-legged adult.
adult argentatus in July. (77937 bytes)Herring Gull adult (argentatus), July 15 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). Yellow-legged adults with code 1IA.
adult argentatus in July. (66150 bytes)Herring Gull adult (argentatus), July 16 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). Yellow-legged adult.
adult argentatus in July. (75887 bytes)Herring Gull adult (argentatus), July 16 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.31N, 23.43E). Yellow-legged adult.