Yellow Legged Gull

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Bird name: Yellow Legged Gull
Latin: Larus michahellis
Other: Goéland leucophée (Fr), Gabian • Gaviota patiamarilla (Es) • Gabbiano reale zampegialle (It)
Family: Laridae • Gulls
Range: Mediterranean coastline
Similar: Caspian Gull

The Yellow-legged Gull is a large gull, common in Monaco and along the Côte d’Azur in the summer.

It is closely related, and similar in appearance to, the Herring Gull and Caspian Gull, and even more closely related to the Great Black Backed Gull and Armenian Gull.

The adult (4th year) Yellow-legged Gull has black wing tips with small white windows at tips, grey upper wing, yellow bill and legs, with a large red spot on beak, pale irises with red eye-ring and red gape.

Juveniles (1st years) have dark beaks and mottled brown feathers, pink legs and feet, and dark irises.

2nd years have less brown in feathers, dark bill and irises.

3rd years have some yellow and some black on bill, pale yellow legs, pale irises, and quite a bit of grey adult feathers.


January

All photos copyright: monacoeye • Do not copy without permission

February
A young Yellow-legged Gull sees off a crow in Nice



March










April






May
A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull playing with a bit of broken china.






Below, newly hatched Yellow-legged Gull chicks, with attendant parent below.




Below, a 3rd year Yellow-legged Gull, presumably.





June


July





Below, an adult Yellow-legged Gull eating a pigeon in Monaco…




August

September






Below, a 2nd year Yellow-legged Gull, presumably.


Below, a 3rd year Yellow-legged Gull, presumably.


October

November

December