Gull with an enlarged white patch on the wing (1 Viewer)

[Michał Jaro]

Hi
At the end of March I noticed a seagull with an enlarged primaries patch - it covers not 2 but 3 primaries (illusion?). Additionally, the wing coverts and primaries are somewhat pale. But is everything normal here for Caspian?

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Michal,
yes I think its some bleaching or some growth issues/bad state or nutrition during moult.

But everything else looks good for an adult Caspian Gull imo.
But as always you know. Thanks to Lou and all!

 

[lou salomon]

Those patches are called mirrors and they are perfectly normal, extending on p9 and p10 only, they just look as if they extend to p8 (extreme individuals can have a small p8 mirror, either argentatus and cachinnans, but this is not the case here). Note that p9 'covers' p8, seen from below, that's why you see so little of p8 tip. And I see no particularly pale parts in grey mantle. It's a perfectly normal male Caspian Gull.

 

[Michał Jaro]

Yes of course - mirros, I couldn't remamber the word
Thanks - pale parts are visible (imo) especially on pic 6126, but maybe that are sun reflections.
My hallucinations were perfectly explained 😄. Great thanks!