(canus/heinei)
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Common Gull (canus/heinei) |
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IMAGES:
DESCRIPTION:
First Cycle
Adult
COMMON GULL (16-18";47-48") canus/heinei
| BILL SHAPE: small and slim, smaller than Ring-billed; 2-3x eye diam; gon angle very small; culmen curve gentle, beginning 1/2 way out | ||||
| HEAD SHAPE: small, dainty, and dove-like | ||||
| WING EXTENSTION: long; 1.5-2x bill length | ||||
| POSTURE/HABITS: | ||||
| FIRST WINTER | SECOND WINTER | ADULT WINTER | ||
| BILL COLOR: | flesh or dull yellow (blue-gray possible) w/ slightly blurred black outer 1/3; slightly more black on lower mandible | blue-gray or dull yellow w/ dark tip or subterm band | dull or greenish-yellow; may show dark subterm band w/ brighter yellow tip | |
| LEG COLOR: | dull grayish-pink (blue-gray possible) | blue-gray to dull flesh | greenish-yellow | |
| IRIS/ORB RING: | dark | dark | brown, rarely yellow; orb ring red | |
| HEAD: | canus: covered w/ thin dark well-defined streaks or lines; dark crescent in front of eye; pale around bill; aurs streaked; nape and neck sides thickly spotted; henei: lightly streaked except for collar of spots at base of nape, appearing white at a distance | streaked over entire head; aurs may appear solid; blotchy on nape and neck sides | variable delicate spotting on crown, aurs, nape, and neck sides | |
| UNDERPARTS: | canus: white w/ blurry spotting on breast or breast sides; variable mottling down flanks; henei: nearly all white; both subspecies w/ few dark marks at vent sides | white; some light smudging from nape may extend to breast sides | white | |
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PRIMARIES (folded): |
black w/ thin pale crescents possible on tips | black; may show tiny A-spots | A-spots diminish in size; small A-spot on P9, just before P10; larger A-spots on P6-8 | |
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PRIMARIES (in flight): |
outer Ps blackish; inner Ps pale w/ dark subterm spots; P5-6 may show white tongue between dark subterm spot and g-b base | P7-10 black; med to large mirror on P10, possible on P9; black to P5; small tongues possible on P5-7; black on upper P covs | extensive black on P8-10; large mirrors on P9-10; small mirror possible on P8; thin black band possible on P5; small white tongues on P5-7 | |
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SECONDARIES (in flight): |
dark w/ pale fringe; underwing covs white w/ thin dark edges, appearing pale | as adult; underwing covs largely white | adult gray w/ broad white trailing edge | |
| TERTIALS: | dark g-b w/ broad pale edges, split by dark shaft at tip, forming broad pale chevron | as adult | adult gray w/ large white crescent, about 3/4-1x bill length | |
| GREATER COVERTS: | solid med g-b, fading to pale g-b by spring | adult gray | adult gray | |
| LESSER & MED COVERTS: | solid med g-b w/ pale fringe, creating a scaled look | adult gray | adult gray | |
| SCAPULARS: | adult gray; may be mixed w/ some brown | as adult | adult gray w/ small white crescent | |
| BACK: | as scapulars | adult gray | adult gray med-pale on canus, med on henei (w/ gradual cline between?) | |
| RUMP: | white; canus may have some V-marks near tail | white | white | |
| TAIL: | white w/ broad black band w/ pale fringe; white outermost webs; canus has some dark on inner webs that may be visible on outer retrices from above | white | white | |