nominate Lesser Black-backed Gull (L. f. fuscus)

(last update: 26-2-2011)

Coordinators:
Amir Ben Dov (Israel)
Hannu Koskinen (Finland)
Mars Muusse (the Netherlands)

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fuscus rings

fuscus 1cy July
fuscus 1cy Aug
fuscus 1cy Sept
fuscus 1cy Oct
fuscus 1cy Nov
fuscus 1cy Dec

fuscus 2cy Jan
fuscus 2cy Feb
fuscus 2cy March
fuscus 2cy April
fuscus 2cy May
fuscus 2cy June
fuscus 2cy July
fuscus 2cy Aug
fuscus 2cy Sept
fuscus 2cy Oct
fuscus 2cy Nov

fuscus 2cy Dec

fuscus 3cy Jan
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fuscus 3cy May
fuscus 3cy June
fuscus 3cy July
fuscus 3cy August

fuscus 3cy Sept

fuscus 3cy October
fuscus 3cy Nov
fuscus 3cy Dec

fuscus 4cy Jan
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fuscus 4cy March
fuscus 4cy April
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fuscus 4cy June
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fuscus 4cy Oct
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fuscus ad Jan
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fuscus ad March
fuscus ad April
fuscus ad May
fuscus ad June
fuscus ad July
fuscus ad Aug
fuscus unringed Aug
fuscus ad Sept
fuscus ad Oct
fuscus ad Nov
fuscus ad Dec

Larus fuscus fuscus 2cy, June 14 2014, Tara dump - Tampere, Finland. Images: Hannu Koskinen.

2cy in June from the "slow moulting" group. This group contains birds photographed in Finland, of which at least several birds recall nominate fuscus in many respects, except for (some) juvenile primaries. In this way they are different from 'typical 2CY fuscus birds', which return in Europe with replaced, 2nd gen primaries in spring.
However, some of the birds in this slow moulting group are different from nominate fuscus, and very similar to (and actually may be) birds of the western taxa graellsii / intermedius. These birds are characterised by moult commencement in spring (April-June) and return with juvenile primaries, secondaries and rectrices. There may even be a large portion of juvenile wing-coverts and tertials. When the new coverts are pale slate grey in such birds, or even show bold patterns and these birds are streaked on the head, this all adds to the general appearance of western graellsii.
We may also place some slow moulting birds in this group which in fact are 2CY heuglini. The exact variation in returning 2CY heuglini in June in N Europe is not fully understood.

Bird below: similar to advanced 2CY western intermedius, but probably slow moulting fuscus. All coverts and tertials were replaced in winter and all rectrices and secondaries as well. Primaries are still juvenile. White head and underparts. Complete moult not started yet, P1 old. Few coverts (especially central MC) now replaced for 3rd gen, blackish like in nominate fuscus.