Herring Gull (argentatus & argenteus)

(last update: February 11, 2013)

Vega Gull vegae adult, July 02 2013, Kamchatka/Chukotka Coast, Russia. Picture: Benjamin van Doren.

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Complete moult: P1/P4. Full sub-terminal band on P5 and P10, with much black on outerweb of P5. Black on outerweb of P4. Black on outerweb of P8, P9 and P10 reach to primary coverts. Red orbital ring, yellow iris. Broad white trailing edge to secondaries. Large 'moons', white tongue tips on P5-P7 with sharp division between grey and white. This Vega has much black on outerweb of P7, while black on inner web of P5 is rather thin (could be indication for -backcross- Slaty-backed x Vega Gull hybrid?). More insight in the species variation regarding wingtip pigmentation is necessary.