LANDING

LANDING

A Seagull comes in for a landing along a stream shoreline, to feast on the lifeless bodies of spawned out Chum Salmon.

The Glaucous-Winged Gull is a large gull of the north Pacific Coast and it is common in coastal cities and towns. Its wingtips are colored unlike any other gull’s, being neither black nor white. Instead, they are a medium gray, not much different from the back color.

The Glaucous-winged Gull hybridizes extensively with the Western Gull, with the hybrids being the most common form in Washington. The hybrids can be similar to the parent adult forms, but usually have intermediate back and wingtip coloring. With the medium-gray back, dark upper surface to wingtips, frosty white undersurface to wingtips and a darkish eye, a hybrid may closely resemble a robust Thayer’s Gull. The flatter and larger head of the hybrid, and especially the thick bill with a pronounced angle on the bottom, should help distinguish it from the smaller, slimmer Thayer’s Gull.
Size: 50-59 cm (20-23 in)
Wingspan: 120-143 cm (47-56 in)
Weight: 900-1200 g (31.77-42.36 ounces)
Head and underparts white.
Back silvery gray.
Wingtips medium gray with white spots near tip.
Legs pinkish.
Breeding (Alternate) Plumage: Bill yellow with red spot near tip of lower mandible. Wing tips medium gray, only slightly darker than back. Eyes dark brown to dirty yellow. Thin ring of skin around eyes pinkish. Pronounced angle on lower edge of bill (gonys).
Sexes alike in plumage, male larger than female.

Juvenal plumage: Light grayish brown head and body, back, tail, and wings. Flight feathers on wing same color as back. Bill black. Legs dark gray with pink overtones. Eyes dark brown to black.
First Winter (Basic I): Like juvenal, but head, throat, and breast lighter and more streaked. Bill black. Eyes dark brown.
First Summer (Alternate I): Head, neck, and especially the throat whiter, but still streaked. Wing feathers worn and paler. Mix of clean gray and mottled feathers on back. Bill black. Eyes dark brown.
Second Winter (Basic II): Head whiter, but neck heavily streaked. Back mottled brownish and light gray. Underparts white. Wing tips light gray, like back. Tail gray. Bill pale flesh at base, then black. Eyes dark brown. Legs dirty pink.
Second Summer (Alternate II): Head and neck largely white with conspicuous streaking. Back may be entirely light gray with a few brownish feathers. Underparts mostly white. Bill yellowish at base, then black with white tip. Eyes dark brown.
Third Winter (Basic III): Some dirty brown on otherwise white neck and head. Back light gray with only a few dull brownish feathers. Underparts white. Tail largely white with some dark smudging. Outer wing feathers (primaries) darker gray with white tips. Inner wing feathers (secondaries) light gray with broad white tips. Bill yellowish at base, then black with white tip. Eyes brown. Legs dirty pink.
Third Summer (Alternate III): Head and neck pure white or with only little streaking. Back all gray. Underparts white. Tail white with some dark smudging. Bill yellow with some red on lower mandible. Eyes brown.

LANDING belongs to the following groups:

Birds and Creatures of Flight, The Birds and Waterfowl Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters