Variation in the wing-tip pattern of the Herring Gull in Britain

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Abstract
The proportions of herring gulls with particular wing-tip patterns are different on the west coast of southern Scotland and the east coast of northern England during the winter and in the breeding season. There is also a seasonal change in the wing-tip pattern of herring gulls wintering in northeast England. This is not caused primarily by the arrival of continental herring gulls from Scandinavia, but is mainly a result of movements within Britain. The consistent difference in wing-tip pattern between the east and west sides of the country reflect an appreciable degree of separation and isolation of the herring gulls in these areas, both as breeding birds and also as wintering groups. When a more detailed picture is obtained of the variation in wing-tip pattern, both within Britain and also in other countries neighboring the North Sea, it should be possible to interpret changes in the wing pattern of wintering birds in terms of their areas of origin.

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