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Second-winter Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans

Currently, I have no images of second-winter Caspian Gull, but hope to remedy this soon and update this section. However, an observer should be immediately struck by the structure, the head and bill shape should be really quite remarkable, as well as being very long-winged, and in flight, very broad-winged with a long neck and feet that reach virtually to the tip of the tail.

Caspian is more advanced than other gulls in second-winter, and begins to look very adult-like at this age.

Third-winter Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans

Summary of Important Features

(Click on any of the thumbnails on the left for a larger image and more text)
3rd-winter Caspian Gull
By its third winter, Caspian Gull has fourth generation feathers, and intrinsically looks adult. Close observation will usually reveal immature feathering on the marginal, lesser and inner greater coverts, plus the bare parts are also duller than adults with more black.

Plumage

Head

• This seems smaller, finer and whiter than surrounding Herring, lacking the latter’s bulky feel and usual fairly prominent streaking. In winter a half-collar of sparse dark streaks on the hind neck, but the underparts are wholly white.

Mantle, scapulars and wing coverts

• Generally grey like the adult, but signs of immaturity can sometimes be seen on the marginal coverts, forming a dark leading edge to the wing, inner greater coverts, slightly paler with faint brownish marks.

Tail

• This has a vestigial tail band of isolated black marks.

Underwing

• The underside of the wing is white apart from restricted black near the tips of the outer primaries. This is very distinct from argentatus and michahellis, as is the prominent white mirror on P10, which is indistinct or absent on Herring or Yellow-legged of the same age.

Tertials

• These may be largely adult-like but some may have black oval spots at the base.

Bare parts

• The bill is slim, pale milky yellow becoming richer in colour in the late winter, with a neat dark band near the tip, sometimes with a red ‘shadow’ on the distal part of the lower mandible. Legs are longer than argenteus and subtly finer, but notably pale grey becoming pale flesh-pink on the feet, argenteus may be grey-pink, but not usually so. The eye seems very small and dark compared with the pale iris and surrounding smudgy area of Herring .
2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull
3rd-winter Caspian Gull
2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull