Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus

(last update: 4-04-2011)

Below: First-calendar year Black-headed Gull, EH74,December 17, 2006, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (52.22N, 04.51E).

First-calendar year Black-headed Gull in first-winter (formative) plumage. During the post-juvenile moult, all feathers have been replaced except those on the wings and in the tail. The body and head are now completely white, leaving a head pattern similar to adults (with a black ear spot and faint bars from ear to ear and eye to eye across the head). The legs are orange and the bill is orange with a white tip.

(Ringing date: ringed with metal ring Latvia S6525 June 14, 2006, Babite Lake, Riga, Latvia, 5656.00N, 2349.00E. Age: pullus, sex: male. Ring replaced November 3, 2006 with metal ring Arnhem 3614444 and colour ring White EH74, Osdorppark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.)