leucistic Herring Gull?

[Kent Olsen]

To me this is a leucistic Herring Gull, but people start to speculate…

http://gulldk.blogspot.com/2010/12/herr ... th_13.html

As fare I can tell there are two coverts on the left side which looks wheat, but in fact show a degree of normal pigmentation and thus appear darker then the remaining upperparts.

Care for a comment?

Cheers

Kent

[adriaens]

Interesting but tricky gull.
To me the wing-coverts look soiled (with oil perhaps?), so I am not sure if there really is any dark pigmentation there.
However, I agree the bird is most likely a Herring Gull.

Kumlien's Gull is, essentially, a white-winged gull. That means that, if you look at the underside of the wingtip, it is mostly pale, because dark pigmentation is mainly limited to the outer webs.
This Danish bird has a largely dark underside of P10 - too extensive for adult Kumlien's.
Also, the upperside of the wingtip of this bird shows too much grey; adult Kumlien's has larger white primary tips (especially towards the tertials). Bill looks a bit too brightly coloured to me, with a too extensive orange gonys spot.
At this time of year, adult Kumlien's normally shows extensive brown spotting on head and neck, unlike the Danish bird.

Here is a typical adult Kumlien's Gull from Newfoundland, to illustrate the wingtips and bill colour:

[Kent Olsen]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your comment.

What also says that it is a Herring Gull is the reduced white tertial and scapular crescent.

New photos have been added including the standing bird and stretched wing: http://gulldk.blogspot.com/2010/12/herr ... _7918.html

Cheers

[JanJ]

The new pic are interesting, showing the Herring (if you like )primary pattern. Also hint of a yellow orbital ring is visible.
As seen better in these new pic - it seems like the darker pigmented feathers (same colour as primaries), on the coverts are for real so to speak.
Very nice pic!
Leucism wouldn´t be the correct terminology. I´ve seen 'diluted' mentioned elsewhere.

JanJ