Western Gull (occidentalis/wymani)

Western Gull
(occidentalis/wymani)

IMAGES:

First Cycle
Second Cycle
Third Cycle
Adult

DESCRIPTION:

WESTERN GULL (24"-27"; 52"-56") occidentalis, wymani

BILL SHAPE: thick and blob-ended; 4 1/2 times eye diameter in length; gonydeal angle large; culmen w/ steep curve to tip
HEAD SHAPE: rather small and rounded; may have a small pinheaded look
WING EXTENSTION: bill length or less
POSTURE/HABITS: ...
	FIRST CYCLE	SECOND CYCLE	THIRD CYCLE	ADULT
BILL COLOR:	black; some pink at base by summer	variable; usually with pale pink or yellow base and culmen; black subterm band or tip and dark around nostril	variable; usually w/ pale yellow base, culmen, and lower edge; dark subterm band; gon spot possible	bright schoolbus yellow, nearly orange-yellow w/ pale yellow tip; gon spot orange-red
LEG COLOR:	dirty dark pink	dull dirty pink	pink to light pink	light salmon pink
IRIS/ORB RING:	dark	dark; achieving adult color by late winter or spring	as adult	gold to brown, appearing dark from a distance, on occidentalis, light yellow rare; pale gray on wymani; orb ring mustard yellow
HEAD:	dark sooty gray; often solid around eye and auriculars, giving masked look; diffusely streaked or blotchy elsewhere; paler behind auriculars, on nape and throat	smudged dusky, esp around eye and on rear crown, aurs, and lower nape; streaky only on nape and neck sides; aur edge is palest	smudging across crown, auriculars, and lower nape; darkest across nape; no streaking; may be nearly white	white all year; very slight winter smudging possible in occidentalis
UNDERPARTS:	blotchy to uniform dark sooty gray from breast to belly; undt covs irreg. barred	white w/ light mottling on breast and belly; undt covs white	some mottling possible on breast sides; belly white	white
PRIMARIES (folded):	blackish	black w/ faint pale tips possible	black; tiny A-spots rarely visible	black w/ A-spots larger than eye, except A10, same size as eye
PRIMARIES (in flight):	blackish above and below	outer Ps black; inner Ps paler w/ white trailing edge	like adult but usually lacks mirror and A-spots; black area more extensive, esp on P covs	extensive black on outer Ps; large mirror on P10; rarely small mirror on P9; often slight pale tongue on P5; often black mark on P4; quite dark underneath
SECONDARIES (in flight):	blackish above and below w/ pale fringe	dark w/ large white trailing edge	as adult	trailing edge about 1/2 bill length; quite dark underneath; shows white skirt when standing
TERTIALS:	very dark w/ white tip or subterm cresent or chevron	solid dark g-b w/ extensive marbled tips	adult gray w/ traces of brown, esp on inner webs	adult gray w/ white cres., about 1/2 bill length
GREATER COVERTS:	fairly solid dark brown w/ pale fringe and sub- term spot; inner feathers more spotted; appears as a dark bar in flight; prone to fade brownish	solid med dark g-b, often w/ extensive pale or marbled tips	adult gray w/ traces of brown; slightly mottled	adult gray
LESSER & MED COVERTS:	dark brown w/ pale edges giving a dark scaled or mottled look	med g-b w/ darker centers, giving a muddy look; some adult gray possible	adult gray w/ traces of brown	adult gray
SCAPULARS:	fairly solid sooty g-b w/ dirty pale fringes, looking scaled on young birds but darker later	adult gray; white scap. cresent 1/3 bill length often visible	as adult	adult gray w/ white cresent about 1/3 bill length
BACK:	as scaps, but w/ less pale fringe, appearing darker; may have some adult gray	adult gray mixed w/ bits of brown	as adult	adult gray is med dark in occidentalis (not much darker than California); quite dark in wymani
RUMP:	quite white, filled w/ irregular dark bars	mostly white w/ some dark smudges	white	white
TAIL:	solid black w/ pale fringe; faintly mottled bases of outer retrices from below; rarely pale bars on outermost webs	all dark w/ obvious pale fringe; pale mottled bases to outer retrices	white w/ irregular jagged subterm black band; outer webs white	white