Part 1 - Updated 25/1/11 Israel large Ad Gulls of Israel Identification guide

Amir Ben Dov
Amir Ben DovGeneral Manager, Education and Internet
Field identification guide to large gulls in Israel Created by:  Amir Ben Dov and Yoav Perlman, October 2009 Updated June 2010 [email_address]   [email_address]   Moderator: Mars muusse, Ehud Dovrat  Special thanks: Morten Helberg – Norway, Risto Juvaste – Finland,  Theo Muusse – The Netherlands, Hadoram Shirihai,  Prof. Peter de Knijff - The  Netherlands, Klaus Malling Olsen, Liebers, D  Images:  Theo Muusse, Mars muusse Gal Shon, Avi Meir, Yoav Perlman,  Amir Ben Dov * Unless stated otherwise, all images by Amir Ben Dov   ©  All images are copyright of the photographers   Part 1
This presentation was created  to assist birders to identify  mainly adult large gulls in Israel
Some general notes: ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]
Basic gull topography Orbital ring Iris Gonys Secondaries R6 R1 P5 P9 P10 Mirror Moon Mirrors Advanced topography information in the following links  :  Gull topography 1  ,  Gull topography 2
Caspian Gull P10 All – most white P9 – mostly white  Black on P10 – P6 very little /missing black on P5 Very small amount of black  on wingtip (smallest of all YL Gulls) Armenian Gull Heuglin’s Gull White mirror on P10 Black reaches P5 and  sometimes P4 Black on P10 – P5 White mirrors on P10 and P9 Medium amount of black  on wing tip Allot of black  on wing tip Yellow-legged Gull P10 edge, All – most white P9 – white spot Black on P10 – P5 Wingtip patterns Large moons at P5-P7 Black reaches P5,  sometimes P4 and even P3  (10% of the population)
Head shapes Armenian Gull Yellow-legged Gull Caspian Gull Steep  forehead,  rounded head Relatively small  bill Massive bill, big gonys Moderate  forehead Long straight  bill Flat  forehead Heuglin’s Gull Large bill,  prominent gonys  Relatively steep forehead
michahellis cachinnans heuglini armenicus
[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Moult
Comparison of breeding range to moult timing in large gulls Reproduced with permission of the authors from: Liebers, D., de Knijff, P. and Helbig, A.J. (2004). The herring gull complex is not a ring species.  Proc. R. Soc. Lond  271: 893-901. Moult start North- easterly michahellis armenicus cachinnans barabensis intermedius graellsii fuscus heuglini
Adult Gulls – average primary moult dates May Apr Jul Jun Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Michahellis  (Israel) Armenicus  (Israel) cachinnans P1 P10 P1 P1 P1 P1 P10 P10 Jan Feb Mar heuglini fuscus P10 P10 P3 P2 fuscus
Moult directions Moult from Tail R1 (inside)>  R6 (Outside) Total of 12 feathers, change starts  when Primary moult  is halfway Greater coverts  GC counted from the  inside out, total of 24  Secondaries marked S  counted from the outside  to the inside, total of 18 moult from 1-15 and 18-16 (when moult reaches 15 then 18 will moult and then 17 till  they meet) Tertials marked as tt Total of 6 counted and  moult from up down  Median coverts  MC counted from the  inside out, total of 24, counted  as % of renewed feathers as well (see above) Greater P Coverts normally  moult simultaneously with  Primaries – not used for  moult score  10 Primaries, moult from inside out,  mark the complete moult  Lesser Coverts, 4 rows, counted for convenience  as 24 feathers if for example; 3, 4, 5, 8, 11 are replaced, this is scored as 5 feathers,  is 5/24 = 21% -> this is classified as category 1-25%, and this is the final outcome. So, missing  a single feather is not really influencing the final scores; but if we want to enlarge upon individual birds, we can always take the original scoring sheets and tell the exact scores. Scapulars are divided as UUS, ULS, LUS and LLS,  (upper upper, upper lower, lower upper, lower lower) We calculate % of renewed feathers, so we normally  do not point down individual feathers in these tracts.  We estimate the % renewed in classes:  0% new, 1-25%, 25-50%, 50-75%, 75-99%  and 100% renewed. If a next replacement starts,  we repeat this, but then we count 3rd gen feathers. R1 R6 P10 P5 S1 S15
Yellow-legged Gull -  Larus michahellis , adult, halfway through primary moult Ma'agan Michael 9/7/10 Gal Shon  © P10 P9 P8 P7 P6 starts growing P5 half grown Unmoulted secondaries P1 - P4 new  and fully grown Primaries moult once a year from  inner P1 to outer P10 All old and worn T1–T3 (also referred as R)  (central tail feathers)   worn will soon moult
Heuglin’s Gull -  Larus heuglini , adult, end of primary moult Ashdod 23/1/10 P1-P8 all new P9 almost full size P10 half grown
Armenian Gull –  Larus armenicus ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]
Armenian Gull –  Larus armenicus , adult spring, Ashdod 9/3/10
Armenian Gull –  Larus armenicus , adult winter, Ma’agan Michael 1/10/09 Medium-short bill, steep forehead and rounded head Black band on bill  characteristic in winter Most adults  show dark eye Relatively dark mantle lighter than  heuglini darker than  michahellis ,  and  cachinnans
Armenian Gull -  Larus armenicus,  Adult, Ma’agan Michael  13/9/10 Note the wide  black band on the bill tip Paler eyed bird with dark spots on the  iris can be seen in about 10% of the population This bird is in the process of the complete moult  that takes place from late June – November
Armenian Gull –  Larus armenicus , adult winter, Ashdod 6/1/10 Black on P10 – P5 or P4 * up to 10% will show    some black on P3 as    well P10 – white mirror * some birds will show    mirror on P9 as well Much black on  wing tip
Armenian Gull –  Larus armenicus,   1 st  summer birds, Ma’agan Michael 14/4/09 Often dark markings around eye and on ear coverts
Armenian Gull –  Larus armenicus,  1 st  winter Ashdod 12/9/08
Armenian Gull –  Larus armenicus,  1 st  summer, Ma’agan Michael 24/4/09
Armenian Gull –  Larus armenicus,  1 st  summer, Ma’agan Michael 14/4/09 Between mid April – late August  heavily worn and  very bleached Inner primaries  P1-P3 are new This  armenicus  is in its complete moult stage,  started perhaps in early   march   Central median  coverts are new
Armenian Gull –  Larus armenicus,  advanced 2 nd  winter,  Ashdod 02/10/09
Yellow-legged Gull -  Larus michahellis ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]
Yellow-legged Gull -  Larus michahellis , adult summer (early autumn) plumage, Nachlieli Island Rosh Hanikra 17/9/09 Mantle and wing color lighter than  armenicus  darker than  cachinnans
Yellow-legged Gull -  Larus michahellis , 4 th  summer, Tel Aviv University Zoological Garden (natural population) 22/5/10 Massive bill, bright yellow year-round (in adults) The very last coverts of a young bird P10 - White P9 - white mirror Black on P10 – P5
Yellow-legged Gull -  Larus michahellis , adult, summer plumage Ma'agan Michael 22/5/09 Massive head  and bill
Yellow-legged Gull –  Larus michaellis,  Tel Aviv University Zoological Garden (natural population) 5/6/10
Yellow-legged Gull –  Larus michahellis , winter plumage  (fairly rare winterer in Israel) Ashdod 30/10/09
Yellow-legged Gull –  Larus michahellis , winter plumage  (fairly rare winterer in Israel) Jaffa Port 4/2/10,  Yoav Perlman  ©
Larus michahellis  2 nd  CY Ashdod 16/11/09
Yellow-legged Gull -  Larus michahellis , 2 nd  summer (3CY),   extensive moult Safari, Ramat Gan (natural population) 4/6/10
Yellow-legged Gull -  Larus michahellis , fledgling, Tel Aviv University Zoological Garden (natural population) 18/6/10
Yellow-legged Gull -  Larus michahellis , Fledgling, Tel Aviv  University Zoological Garden (natural population) 18/6/10
Yellow-legged Gull -  Larus michahellis , adult and 2 fledglings,  Ma'agan Michael 6/6/08
Caspian Gull -  Larus cachinnans ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]
Caspian Gull -  Larus cachinnans ,  Ashdod 30/1/10 Long slender bill in comparison to all adult gulls seen in Israel Small gonys Adult uniformly pale mantle,  wings and coverts (palest of all Israeli  large white-headed gulls)
Caspian Gull -  Larus cachinnans , very large male Ashdod 19/3/08
Comparison between  cachinnans  (upper photo) and  michahellis  (lower photo)  taken at the same date and light conditions note the difference in: Head shape Bill color Bill length Leg color Leg thickness Upperparts color Eye color   Ashdod 11/12/09
Caspian Gull -  Larus cachinnans , Ashdod 6/1/10 Much white, little black
Caspian Gull -  Larus cachinnans , Ashdod 7/3/10 ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],Very little black on wing tip
Caspian Gull -  Larus cachinnans , Ashdod 23/1/10 Adults have  pink  or  yellow legs
Steppe Gull -  Larus barabensis ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]
Steppe Gull -  Larus barabensis , bird  rehabilitated in NPA’s  Afek  Wildlife Hospital,   ringed and released by Yoav Perlman at Ashdod seashore 16/2/08 Long, straight bill resembles  cachinnans Small eye in comparison to  all other YL Gulls
Steppe Gull –  Larus barabensis , Acre sea shore 7/2/09
Steppe Gull –  Larus barabensis , Ashdod 16/3/10
Steppe Gull  -  Larus barabensis,  Eilat north beach 1/3/08   P10 - white mirror P9 – usually no mirror  Black reaches P3
Steppe Gull –  Larus barabensis , Ashdod 16/3/10 P3 shows black P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 Bluish mantle  and wings
Herring Gull –  Larus argentatus ,[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]
Herring Gull -  Larus argentatus  argentatus,   North France 3/1/2002 Image by Mars Muusse ©  head streaking, shared  only by immature heuglini  and fuscus, in such extent mantle colors Kodak  grey scale 5-7 Very pale eye Pink Legs
Larus argentatus  argentatus , 1 st  CY 26/11/2006  Belgium (Ringed at North Russia)  Image by Mars Muusse  ©   Larus argentatus  argentatus   wing pattern,  U.K  6/1/92 Open wings images  by Peter Stewarte ©
Larus argentatus  argentatus , 3 rd   CY, the Netherlands, 31/12/2008  Image by Mars Muusse ©
Herring Gull -  Larus argentatus  argenteus Brighton England 26/11/08 Very pale eye Brown marking  on head and nape Pale mantle colors Kodak grey scale 4-6 Pink Legs
1 of 53

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Part 1 - Updated 25/1/11 Israel large Ad Gulls of Israel Identification guide

  • 1. Field identification guide to large gulls in Israel Created by: Amir Ben Dov and Yoav Perlman, October 2009 Updated June 2010 [email_address] [email_address] Moderator: Mars muusse, Ehud Dovrat Special thanks: Morten Helberg – Norway, Risto Juvaste – Finland, Theo Muusse – The Netherlands, Hadoram Shirihai, Prof. Peter de Knijff - The Netherlands, Klaus Malling Olsen, Liebers, D Images: Theo Muusse, Mars muusse Gal Shon, Avi Meir, Yoav Perlman, Amir Ben Dov * Unless stated otherwise, all images by Amir Ben Dov © All images are copyright of the photographers Part 1
  • 2. This presentation was created to assist birders to identify mainly adult large gulls in Israel
  • 3.
  • 4. Basic gull topography Orbital ring Iris Gonys Secondaries R6 R1 P5 P9 P10 Mirror Moon Mirrors Advanced topography information in the following links : Gull topography 1 , Gull topography 2
  • 5. Caspian Gull P10 All – most white P9 – mostly white Black on P10 – P6 very little /missing black on P5 Very small amount of black on wingtip (smallest of all YL Gulls) Armenian Gull Heuglin’s Gull White mirror on P10 Black reaches P5 and sometimes P4 Black on P10 – P5 White mirrors on P10 and P9 Medium amount of black on wing tip Allot of black on wing tip Yellow-legged Gull P10 edge, All – most white P9 – white spot Black on P10 – P5 Wingtip patterns Large moons at P5-P7 Black reaches P5, sometimes P4 and even P3 (10% of the population)
  • 6. Head shapes Armenian Gull Yellow-legged Gull Caspian Gull Steep forehead, rounded head Relatively small bill Massive bill, big gonys Moderate forehead Long straight bill Flat forehead Heuglin’s Gull Large bill, prominent gonys Relatively steep forehead
  • 8.
  • 9. Comparison of breeding range to moult timing in large gulls Reproduced with permission of the authors from: Liebers, D., de Knijff, P. and Helbig, A.J. (2004). The herring gull complex is not a ring species. Proc. R. Soc. Lond 271: 893-901. Moult start North- easterly michahellis armenicus cachinnans barabensis intermedius graellsii fuscus heuglini
  • 10. Adult Gulls – average primary moult dates May Apr Jul Jun Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Michahellis (Israel) Armenicus (Israel) cachinnans P1 P10 P1 P1 P1 P1 P10 P10 Jan Feb Mar heuglini fuscus P10 P10 P3 P2 fuscus
  • 11. Moult directions Moult from Tail R1 (inside)> R6 (Outside) Total of 12 feathers, change starts when Primary moult is halfway Greater coverts GC counted from the inside out, total of 24 Secondaries marked S counted from the outside to the inside, total of 18 moult from 1-15 and 18-16 (when moult reaches 15 then 18 will moult and then 17 till they meet) Tertials marked as tt Total of 6 counted and moult from up down Median coverts MC counted from the inside out, total of 24, counted as % of renewed feathers as well (see above) Greater P Coverts normally moult simultaneously with Primaries – not used for moult score 10 Primaries, moult from inside out, mark the complete moult Lesser Coverts, 4 rows, counted for convenience as 24 feathers if for example; 3, 4, 5, 8, 11 are replaced, this is scored as 5 feathers, is 5/24 = 21% -> this is classified as category 1-25%, and this is the final outcome. So, missing a single feather is not really influencing the final scores; but if we want to enlarge upon individual birds, we can always take the original scoring sheets and tell the exact scores. Scapulars are divided as UUS, ULS, LUS and LLS, (upper upper, upper lower, lower upper, lower lower) We calculate % of renewed feathers, so we normally do not point down individual feathers in these tracts. We estimate the % renewed in classes: 0% new, 1-25%, 25-50%, 50-75%, 75-99% and 100% renewed. If a next replacement starts, we repeat this, but then we count 3rd gen feathers. R1 R6 P10 P5 S1 S15
  • 12. Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis , adult, halfway through primary moult Ma'agan Michael 9/7/10 Gal Shon © P10 P9 P8 P7 P6 starts growing P5 half grown Unmoulted secondaries P1 - P4 new and fully grown Primaries moult once a year from inner P1 to outer P10 All old and worn T1–T3 (also referred as R) (central tail feathers) worn will soon moult
  • 13. Heuglin’s Gull - Larus heuglini , adult, end of primary moult Ashdod 23/1/10 P1-P8 all new P9 almost full size P10 half grown
  • 14.
  • 15. Armenian Gull – Larus armenicus , adult spring, Ashdod 9/3/10
  • 16. Armenian Gull – Larus armenicus , adult winter, Ma’agan Michael 1/10/09 Medium-short bill, steep forehead and rounded head Black band on bill characteristic in winter Most adults show dark eye Relatively dark mantle lighter than heuglini darker than michahellis , and cachinnans
  • 17. Armenian Gull - Larus armenicus, Adult, Ma’agan Michael 13/9/10 Note the wide black band on the bill tip Paler eyed bird with dark spots on the iris can be seen in about 10% of the population This bird is in the process of the complete moult that takes place from late June – November
  • 18. Armenian Gull – Larus armenicus , adult winter, Ashdod 6/1/10 Black on P10 – P5 or P4 * up to 10% will show some black on P3 as well P10 – white mirror * some birds will show mirror on P9 as well Much black on wing tip
  • 19. Armenian Gull – Larus armenicus, 1 st summer birds, Ma’agan Michael 14/4/09 Often dark markings around eye and on ear coverts
  • 20. Armenian Gull – Larus armenicus, 1 st winter Ashdod 12/9/08
  • 21. Armenian Gull – Larus armenicus, 1 st summer, Ma’agan Michael 24/4/09
  • 22. Armenian Gull – Larus armenicus, 1 st summer, Ma’agan Michael 14/4/09 Between mid April – late August heavily worn and very bleached Inner primaries P1-P3 are new This armenicus is in its complete moult stage, started perhaps in early march Central median coverts are new
  • 23. Armenian Gull – Larus armenicus, advanced 2 nd winter, Ashdod 02/10/09
  • 24.
  • 25. Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis , adult summer (early autumn) plumage, Nachlieli Island Rosh Hanikra 17/9/09 Mantle and wing color lighter than armenicus darker than cachinnans
  • 26. Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis , 4 th summer, Tel Aviv University Zoological Garden (natural population) 22/5/10 Massive bill, bright yellow year-round (in adults) The very last coverts of a young bird P10 - White P9 - white mirror Black on P10 – P5
  • 27. Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis , adult, summer plumage Ma'agan Michael 22/5/09 Massive head and bill
  • 28. Yellow-legged Gull – Larus michaellis, Tel Aviv University Zoological Garden (natural population) 5/6/10
  • 29. Yellow-legged Gull – Larus michahellis , winter plumage (fairly rare winterer in Israel) Ashdod 30/10/09
  • 30. Yellow-legged Gull – Larus michahellis , winter plumage (fairly rare winterer in Israel) Jaffa Port 4/2/10, Yoav Perlman ©
  • 31. Larus michahellis 2 nd CY Ashdod 16/11/09
  • 32. Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis , 2 nd summer (3CY), extensive moult Safari, Ramat Gan (natural population) 4/6/10
  • 33. Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis , fledgling, Tel Aviv University Zoological Garden (natural population) 18/6/10
  • 34. Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis , Fledgling, Tel Aviv University Zoological Garden (natural population) 18/6/10
  • 35. Yellow-legged Gull - Larus michahellis , adult and 2 fledglings, Ma'agan Michael 6/6/08
  • 36.
  • 37. Caspian Gull - Larus cachinnans , Ashdod 30/1/10 Long slender bill in comparison to all adult gulls seen in Israel Small gonys Adult uniformly pale mantle, wings and coverts (palest of all Israeli large white-headed gulls)
  • 38. Caspian Gull - Larus cachinnans , very large male Ashdod 19/3/08
  • 39. Comparison between cachinnans (upper photo) and michahellis (lower photo) taken at the same date and light conditions note the difference in: Head shape Bill color Bill length Leg color Leg thickness Upperparts color Eye color Ashdod 11/12/09
  • 40. Caspian Gull - Larus cachinnans , Ashdod 6/1/10 Much white, little black
  • 41.
  • 42. Caspian Gull - Larus cachinnans , Ashdod 23/1/10 Adults have pink or yellow legs
  • 43.
  • 44. Steppe Gull - Larus barabensis , bird rehabilitated in NPA’s Afek Wildlife Hospital, ringed and released by Yoav Perlman at Ashdod seashore 16/2/08 Long, straight bill resembles cachinnans Small eye in comparison to all other YL Gulls
  • 45. Steppe Gull – Larus barabensis , Acre sea shore 7/2/09
  • 46. Steppe Gull – Larus barabensis , Ashdod 16/3/10
  • 47. Steppe Gull - Larus barabensis, Eilat north beach 1/3/08 P10 - white mirror P9 – usually no mirror Black reaches P3
  • 48. Steppe Gull – Larus barabensis , Ashdod 16/3/10 P3 shows black P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 Bluish mantle and wings
  • 49.
  • 50. Herring Gull - Larus argentatus argentatus, North France 3/1/2002 Image by Mars Muusse © head streaking, shared only by immature heuglini and fuscus, in such extent mantle colors Kodak grey scale 5-7 Very pale eye Pink Legs
  • 51. Larus argentatus argentatus , 1 st CY 26/11/2006 Belgium (Ringed at North Russia) Image by Mars Muusse © Larus argentatus argentatus wing pattern, U.K 6/1/92 Open wings images by Peter Stewarte ©
  • 52. Larus argentatus argentatus , 3 rd CY, the Netherlands, 31/12/2008 Image by Mars Muusse ©
  • 53. Herring Gull - Larus argentatus argenteus Brighton England 26/11/08 Very pale eye Brown marking on head and nape Pale mantle colors Kodak grey scale 4-6 Pink Legs