California Gull

California Gull (californicus/albertaensis)

IMAGES:

First Cycle
Second Cycle
Third Cycle
Adult

DESCRIPTION:

CALIFORNIA GULL (20-23";48-55") californicus/albertaensis

BILL SHAPE: thicker than Ring-billed; 3-4x eye diameter; gon. angle small; relatively steep curve to culmen at tip
HEAD SHAPE: rounded crown, sometimes w/ obvious peak; sloped forehead; distinct brow
WING EXTENSION: about bill length
POSTURE/HABITS: albert. averages larger w/ broader base to wings
	FIRST CYCLE	SECOND CYCLE	THIRD CYCLE	ADULT
BILL COLOR:	pale flesh w/ clean black tip, more so on the lower mand; juvs in late summer may show all black bills	pale yellow w/ squared black tip, sometimes w/ tiny pale yellow tip	...	pale yellow w/ red gon. spot and black subterm line; bright yellow by spring; gape often red
LEG COLOR:	dull gray-pink; may be pale green by summer	very dull greenish-yellow to grayish-blue		dull yellow w/ a green-blue tone; brighter yellow in summer
IRIS/ORB RING:	dark	dark	...	iris dark to pale brown; orb. ring red
HEAD:	pale around bill and throat; crown and aurs med g-b, often w/ fine streaks, darkest around and behind eye; foreneck and nape pale w/ light streaks or spots; heavy, dark blurred streaks on sides of neck	fairly white; smudge in front of eye; thin dark postocular line; thin diffuse streaking on crown and upper nape and aurs; thicker diffuse streaks on sides of neck and nape		back of head, nape and sides of neck often heavily streaked, ending sharply at top of breast; throat and center breast usually white; crown and aurs may be delicately streaked, often w/ thin postocular line; many white by late Feb. or with just hindneck streaking
UNDERPARTS:	breast solid or splotchy med g-b; belly solid, fading into thickly barred or very dark undt covs; light barring on lower flanks	throat, breast, and belly white w/ a few dark speckles, esp. on breast sides and along flanks	white	white
PRIMARIES (folded):	blackish	blackish	...	A-spots even or slightly decreasing in size; A7 slightly larger than eye; A10 same size as eye
PRIMARIES (in flight):	dark above and below; slightly paler inner Ps form mild window	dark outer Ps w/ pale inner Ps forming obvious window above and below		med-large mirror on P10, usually separated from tip by very thin black line; small-med mirror on P9; black band to P5
SECONDARIES (in flight):	blackish above and below w/ pale fringe	dark above and below w/ pale fringe	...	adult gray w/ white trailing edge; gray area shows slight contrast from below
TERTIALS:	very dark g-b w/ faded pale tips; slightly lighter than Ps	very dark g-b w/ irregular white marbling at tips; some may have adult gray	...	adult gray w/ faded white crescent about 2/3 bill length
GREATER COVERTS:	fairly solid dark g-b w/ extensive white fringe and subterm spots; may appear quite pale and spotted when standing, but a thin dark bar in flight; fade to pale brown	g-b w/ extensive white marbling	...	adult gray
LESSER & MED COVERTS:	whitish w/ med g-b center or thick anchors, appearing irregularly checkered	whitish w/ variable g-b centers or anchors; may be mixed w/ adult gray	...	adult gray
SCAPULARS:	juvenile: dark with pale edges; first alternate are 3-tone with adult gray w/ dark shaft line, variable dark g-b anchor or bar, and whitish fringe; juv solid g-b w/ pale fringe	largely adult gray but w/ some g-b and white marks	...	adult gray w/ small white crescent usually visible
BACK:	as scaps; mostly adult gray by Mar	adult gray w/ bits of g-b	adult gray	adult gray is med gray, w/ a flat gray, not bluish, hue; albert. is slightly paler
RUMP:	heavily barred	white	white	white
TAIL:	solid black w/ pale fringe or subterm spots; may have barred outermost webs or barring at bases of outer retrices	black w/ pale fringe and white basal portions of outer retrices	...	white