(hyperboreus)
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Glaucous Gull (hyperboreus) |
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IMAGES:
DESCRIPTION:
1)
first winter, standing and in flight
2)
adult, standing and in flight
GLAUCOUS GULL(26-30"; 56-60") hyperboreous, barrovianus
| BILL SHAPE: very long and straight; 4-6x eye diameter; thicker than Herring; gon angle small | ||||
| HEAD SHAPE: moderately sloped forehead; long flat to rounded crown; steeply curved nape; heavy brow | ||||
| WING EXTENSTION: short; less than half bill length; longer on barrovianus | ||||
| POSTURE/HABITS: barrovianus is slightly smaller, closer to Herring in size and shape | ||||
| FIRST WINTER | SECOND WINTER | THIRD WINTER | ADULT WINTER | |
| BILL COLOR: | fleshy pink w/ square-cut black tip; black may extend slightly along cutting edge | flesh to yellowish w/ black tip and pale extreme tip | yellow w/ dark irreg subterm band; may have some gon spot | yellow to bright yellow w/ pale tip; gon spot pale orange to orange-red |
| LEG COLOR: | pale flesh | pink | pale to bright pink | pale to bright pink |
| IRIS/ORB RING: | dark | often pale; may be dark | pale yellow | pale yellow; orb ring yellow-orange to yellow-pink; red possible in Alaska |
| HEAD: | covered w/ thin pale g-b streaks, so close as to appear rather solid; palest around bill; broken white eye ring | variably streaked; may appear whitish or uniform pale g-b; similar to 1W | as adult but streaking usually more extensive | head and neck extensively covered w/ dense brown to orange-brown streaks, thicker on neck; dark mark in front of eye; broken white eye ring; most white by Mar; N. Amer. birds whiter-headed, some w/ only a shawl of heavy streaks around collar, or nearly all white |
| UNDERPARTS: | breast delicately marbled; belly solid pale g-b; undt covs strongly barred | breast mottled; belly more solidly mottled; undt covs barred | variably pale g-b mottling on breast and belly | white; head streaking may come across upper breast |
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PRIMARIES (folded): |
variable; usually paler than rest of wing; nearly white to creamy g-b w/ pale edges; may have pale subterm chevron w/ tiny dark spot in tip | white; may have pale g-b interior areas | white; may have pale g-b interior areas | all white; some adult gray may show if feather bases are exposed |
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PRIMARIES (in flight): |
paler than rest of wing, nearly white; translucent from below | outer Ps often g-b on outer webs and tips, otherwise white; translucent from below | as adult, but may have some pale g-b; translucent from below | extensive white tips on P7-10, occupying 1/5 to � of feather tip; translucent from below |
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SECONDARIES (in flight): |
similar to Ps; may show tiny dark subterm marks from above | similar to Ps | as adult | adult gray w/ broad white trailing edge about � bill length; may show white skirt when standing |
| TERTIALS: | variable; white w/ dark bars, loops, or other small g-b marks; any solid areas very small | white w/ pale g-b wash or marbling | adult gray w/ variable g-b marbling | adult gray w/ broad white crescent about 1/3 to � bill length |
| GREATER COVERTS: | pale cream w/ g-b spots, appearing irreg barred | white w/ pale g-b wash or marbling, esp on inners | adult gray but w/ extensive washes of pale g-b | adult gray |
| LESSER & MED COVERTS: | white w/ faint to mod g-b subterm U or V-shaped mark, appearing irreg checkered | white w/ faded g-b wash or marbling | adult gray mixed w/ some pale g-b | adult gray |
| SCAPULARS: | like L&M covs | white w/ faded g-b wash or irreg marks; some adult gray feathers | adult gray | adult gray w/ small white crescent |
| BACK: | like L&M covs | similar to scaps | adult gray | adult gray is very pale gray, paler than all Herrings; barrovianus slightly darker |
| RUMP: | white w/ strong pale g-b bars | white w/ faded g-b bars | white w/ some pale g-b marks | white |
| TAIL: | extensively marbled or irreg barred pale g-b and white; often w/ pale g-b subterm band | white w/ g-b wash or marbling; much paler than 1W | white w/ extensive pale g-b wash or marbling | white |
The was table created by Steve Hampton and is intended to futher our knowledge of gull identification.
Please email me at
[email protected] if you have any suggestions for updating or improving this table. Thanks.