American Herring Gull, adult: Roberts Lake Park, Monterey, California - 11th March 2007
Extremely similar to European Herring Gulls. This bird is showing signs of wear on the primaries, median covets and rear crown. The small white tips to the outer primaries may be an indication of either immaturity, i.e. 4th-winter bird rather than adult or that it is a characteristic of American Herring Gull.
There is a large gap between the each of the white tips indicating that the bird is rather long winged (compare with adult European Herring Gull by clicking here). Same bird below with partially open wing.
The white tip to P10 is very small. There is a large white mirror separated by a broad black band which extend out the outer edges of both webs either side of the mirror. There is no mirror on P9, as shown by some west coast birds. The white tips to P9-P7 are all rather small.
There is a broad band across P5 which is broader on the outer web with a slight extension along the shaft.
 Roberts Park Monterey (4).JPG)
 Roberts Park Monterey (4).JPG)
 Roberts Park Monterey (4).JPG)
American Herring Gull, adult: Roberts Lake Park, Monterey, California - 11th March 2007
Different bird to the one above. Here with immature Western, races wymani and occidentalis, and Glaucous-winged Gulls
American Herring Gull - Larus smithsonianus
Adults
A series of adult American Herring Gull follows, all of which are from California, November 2009.
Note the generally pale grey upper-parts and the extent of some the head and neck streaking on some birds. Some individuals are still growing the outer most primary thus look short winged,