| General Considerations |
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1. Immature
v
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s Adult
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Mottled brown streaked
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White Solid Colors |
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Dark areas in tail
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Grays Solid
Colors |
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Black Solid
Colors |
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White Tail |
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2. Length of Immaturity (2,3,4 year gulls)
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| Age
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Plumage Year |
vs Calendar Year |
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Plumage Variations |
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Terminology |
1st winter |
1st year |
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2 year Gull = 5 |
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1st Summer |
" |
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3 year gull = 7 |
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2nd winter |
2ndyear |
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4 year gull = 9 |
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2nd Summer |
" |
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3rd winter |
3rd year |
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3rd Summer |
" |
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4th winter |
4th year |
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Adult |
" |
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3. Moulting
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2 molts a year: |
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Partial in spring - head and body feathers |
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Complete in fall - all feathers (wings) |
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Wear/fading |
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Primary wing feather sequence
1-10 wing feathers |
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4. Size
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Judging can be difficult |
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Side by side comparisons |
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Size illusions (birds
further away look bigger in a scope). |
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5. Gray Tones of Adult Birds
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Wings and Upper Parts |
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Shade of Gray |
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Sunlight and angle can affect color |
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Cloudy best light |
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Side by side
comparison |
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6. Sexing
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Males larger |
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No plumage differences between sexes |
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Side by side comparison |
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7. Special Features
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Hood |
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Ear spot |
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Pink Coloration |
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Albinism |
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8. Standing vs Flying Identification
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9. Gull Topography (labeled
photos)
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Head |
bill |
hood |
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gonys* |
eye ring or crescents |
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eye |
orbital ring |
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ear spot |
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Standing
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leg color, length |
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body |
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folded wings |
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Flying |
upper wing |
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under wing |
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upper parts |
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under parts |
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| * gonys or gonydeal angle =
the prominent midline ridge along the lower surface of the
lower mandible. |
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