Herring Gull (2nd winter)
Larus argentatus smithsonianus

f5.6 @ 1/640s, ISO:200, Nikon D80 w 300mm

\"American Herring Gull,\" Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.The American herring gull or Smithsonian gull (Larus smithsonianus or Larus argentatus smithsonianus) is a large gull which breeds in North America, where it is treated by the American Ornithologists\' Union as a subspecies of herring gull (L. argentatus). Young birds take four years to reach fully adult plumage. During this time they go through several plumage stages and can be very variable in appearance. First-winter birds are gray-brown with a dark tail, a brown rump with dark bars, dark outer primaries and pale inner primaries, dark eyes, and a dark bill, which usually develops a paler base through the winter. The head is often paler than the body. Second-winter birds typically have a pale eye, pale bill with black tip, pale head and begin to show gray feathers on the back. Third-winter birds are closer to adults but still have some black on the bill and brown on the body and wings and have a black band on the tail.

South Cape Beach, Mashpee, Massachusetts

11/25/2007