Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
(last update:
Moderators:
Tim Audenaert
Maarten van Kleinwee
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Black-headed Gull - Pink coloration
Below is an overview of individuals showing a pink hue on the body and wing feathers.
This is reportedly due to the secretion from the preen gland, with which the feathers are maintained. This effect is supposedly diet-related.
Below: Adult Black-headed Gull, 9 January 2010, Maresingel, Leiden, The Netherlands (52.164, 4.498E) Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
Below: Adult Black-headed Gull, 2 November 2010, Zijlpoort, Leiden, The Netherlands (52.161N, 4.504E). Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
Leucistic adult Black-headed Gull: some of the scapulars, tertial #3 (on both sides) and greater covert #2 (on the right-hand side) are white. This individual also showed a pink colouration on the breast and on the shaft of the outer three primaries.
Below: Adult Black-headed Gull, 11 April 2011, ,Benthuizerplas, The Netherlands (52.076N, 4.532E). Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
Below: Adult Black-headed Gull, 3 March 2013, Benthuizerplas, The Netherlands (52.076N, 4.532E). Photo: Maarten van Kleinwee.
The pink coloration apparently does not interfere with finding a partner (inset).
