Glaucous-winged Gull (glaucescens)

Glaucous-winged Gull
(glaucescens)

IMAGES:

First Cycle
Second Cycle
Third Cycle
Adult

DESCRIPTION:

GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL(24-27";52-54") glaucescens

BILL SHAPE: large and bulky; gon. angle mod. to large; length 4-5x eye diameter; curve to culmen may be steep; first years may have smaller bills
HEAD SHAPE: rather rounded crown; may have small pin-headed look
WING EXTENSION: fairly short; usually half bill length or less
POSTURE/HABITS: usually larger and bulkier than Herring, though females are smaller
	FIRST WINTER	SECOND WINTER	THIRD WINTER	ADULT WINTER
BILL COLOR:	black; slight pink base to lower mand. possible by spring	varies from nearly solid black to pale flesh yellow w/ black tip	pale yellow w/ variable dark sides; may show pale gon. spot	pale yellow w/ orange-red gon. spot; most have dark smudge above spot on lower mand. and sometimes across upper mand.
LEG COLOR:	dirty dark or dull pink	dirty pink	dirty pink	pink
IRIS/ORB RING:	dark	dark	dark	brown to pale brown; pale amber is rare; orb. ring reddish to purple
HEAD:	uniform g-b, darker than Herring, w/ diffuse smudging; aurs darkest and solid; nape and aur edge may be lighter	primarily white; dark smudge in front of eyes; faint fine mottling on crown; may have dusky streaks on nape	as adult but w/ extensive smudging over entire head	smudged gray over head, neck and upper breast; no streaking
UNDERPARTS:	breast mottled, belly uniform sooty gray, about the same shade as the upperparts and wings; undt covs barred	lower breast, belly, and vent mottled g-b; belly may be quite solid dark and contrast w/ white flanks; undt covs mottled	light mottling on breast and belly	white; upper breast smudging often shows delicate horizontal barring at close range
PRIMARIES (folded):	concolor or slightly darker than rest of wing and body; usually w/ pale edges, sometimes (on paler birds) with crescents large enough to have a dark subterm mark in them, or (on darker birds) w/o pale edges at all	pale to med g-b, concolor w/ rest of wing, w/ thin white crescents	as adult but w/ little or no A-spots	tips adult gray; may be slightly darker than rest of wing but never black; A-spots larger that eye, but A10 same as eye
PRIMARIES (in flight):	solid gray, concolor w/ rest of wing; paler and silvery from below	quite pale above, making a white flash at base of Ps; virtually white from below	similar to adult but smaller A-spots, mirrors, and tongues	"black" areas are charcoal, slightly darker than mantle; large mirror on P10; small mirror rare on P9; thin to large blurred white tongues on P5-9; pattern light gray from below
SECONDARIES (in flight):	similar to Ps	...	as adult	adult gray w/ white trailing edge; gray area shows light contrast from below; shows white skirt when standing
TERTIALS:	same color as Ps; usually w/ large pale tip or subterm crescent; paler birds may have pale notches on sides	pale g-b, concolor w/ Ps, w/ irregular white subterm marbling	as adult	adult gray w/ white crescent about 2/3 bill length
GREATER COVERTS:	variably to mostly solid g-b w/ thin pale horizontal marbled lines w/ pale fringe and subterm spot; inner feathers more spotted	pale g-b, speckled w/ tiny white spots, appearing marbled; often gray by 2S	adult gray	adult gray
LESSER & MED COVERTS:	pale cream w/ med g-b sub-term marks, appearing mottled	as greater covs, w/ wome adult gray color possible	adult gray	adult gray
SCAPULARS:	as coverts, but w/ larger pale areas or adult gray, appearing paler and muddier	as coverts, w/ more adult gray; may be all adult gray	as adult	adult gray w/ white crescent about 1/3 bill length
BACK:	g-b, irregularly marked w/ pale fringes or adult gray; nearly uniform muddy look	adult gray w/ brown areas and pale fringes	adult gray	adult gray is med gray, darker than smithson, lighter than californicus
RUMP:	pale w/ irregular g-b bars	white w/ some speckling	white	white
TAIL:	solid gray as primaries, concolor w/ back; often w/ pale fringe; outermost webs rarely barred; may show mottled bases to outer retrices from below	solid pale g-b; may show extensive pale mottling to bases of outer or all retrices	white w/ jagged dark gray subterm band; outermost webs white	white