Lesser Black-backed Gull

Green ring ring with a 2 alpha-numeric code code

note 1 : rings are placed above the knee (on the tibia) for better observation results in the colony (high vegetation) and on rubbish-dumps. All other colours (with vertical placed codes) above the knee are also part of this project.

note 2 : In some series  used dots (1.A), colons (1:A) or single or double bars (1|A or 1||A). Those additional marks are part of the code

note 3 : In some series is an additional plain marker present at the other tibia, this marker is part of the combination.

note 4: Same codes can be used by other large gull species. If you have doubts about the species and/or code, please note the age and position of all the rings, including the metal ring.

note 5: used letters/numers are : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, + and =. Only the letters I, O and Q are never used

note 6: In this project are also used a combination of two coloured rings with both one letter or number at each tibia.

White code with a red four alpha-numeric code (last letter ":C") (number, letter, number, letter ":C" OR number,number, letter, letter ":C")

note 1 : four alpha-numeric code of which the last letter is always a "C", site identifier for Clyde, ringing area in Scotland.

note 2 : a colon (:) is always following the first three alpha-numeric code. For example : 1A1:C , 0Z0:C, etc...

note 3 : note used letters are : F, I, O and Q.

note 4 :

White ring with a black four alpha-numeric code (starting code N0).

note 1 : used codes are N00A till N0WX.

Blue ring with a white 4 alpha code and metal ring.

note 1 : The rings are dark blue with white letters. The codes contain a dot in between the letters. The position of the dot is changing troughout the series.
The M-series have no dot !

note 2 : Used codes are : AAAA up to ZZAZ, and AAOA up to ZZOZ, AAEA up to ZZEZ, always with the letter “A” or “O” or “E” at the third position. For example: F.YAK, KAO.G, AL.OF or CS.EB

note 3 : The letter E, I, J, O, Q, V, W, and X have not been used as FIRST letter.

note 4 : In most cases the ring must be read upwards. Typically, the blue rings were placed at the right tarsus and the metal rings at the left tarsus, but there are exceptions.

note 5 : A few look-alikes with yellowish legs (hybrids as well as pure Yellow-legged Gulls) were cr-ringed as well. 

note 6 : 

Red ring with a white 4 alpha-numeric code (letter 'P' into the code).

note 1 : gulls are ringed since 2012 in central and southern Poland as either breeding adults or chicks.
note 2 : species are L. argentatus (mainly central Poland), L. cachinnans, L. michahellis (mainly southern Poland) and hybrids between these three (everywhere). One L. fuscus and two hybrids L. fuscus x L. argentatus have also been ringed.
note 3 : there are quite many hybrids, not always possible to identify in the field, so please take a digiphoto if possible.

Red ring with a white four alpha code (on left tarsus) and metal ring (on right tarsus).

note 1 :  only letters are used on these rings, numbers are not used.

note 2 :  the following letters have not been used: E, G, I, M, O, Q.

note 3 : most rings are fitted so that the code reads from bottom upwards.

note 4 : there is a check spot between two of the letters. please note that the 4 letter codes that have been used so far all have the same letter in position 1 and 3.
note 5 : used codes are : AAAA, AAAB, AAAC …… to AZAZ ; BABA, BABB, BABC ……to BUBW ; FAFA, FAFB, FAFC …… to FXFR.

note 5 : there is also a three alpha code.

Red ring with a white three alpha code (on left tarsus) and metal ring (on right tarsus).

note 1 :  only letters are used on these rings, numbers are not used.

note 2 :  the following letters have not been used: E, G, I, M, O, Q.

note 3 : most rings are fitted so that the code reads from bottom upwards.

note 4 : there is also a four alpha code and there is a check spot between two of the letters. please note that the 4 letter codes that have been used so far all have the same letter in position 1 and 3.

note 5 : used codes are : AAAA, AAAB, AAAC …… to AZAZ ; BABA, BABB, BABC ……to BUBW ; FAFA, FAFB, FAFC …… to FXFR.

Green ring with a white three alpha-numeric code :
(first letter "X", followed by a colon ":" and two numbers (on right tarsus)
OR
(first letter "X", followed by a colon ":" and one letter and one number (on right tarsus)
and metal ring (on left tarsus).

note 1 : the ringed gulls have suffered temporary paralysis in the legs and wings due to poisoning by contaminated water or food scraps from landfill. Gulls have been treated in Recovery of Wild Animals of Andalusia and volunteers homes the time needed for their release.

note 2 : from 2021 onwards used codes are : X:A1 ~~ X:Z9, X:Z0.

note 3 :

Black ring with a white four-alpha numeric code : nxxn, where n is a number and x a letter.

note 1 : birds ringed on Guernsey.

note 2 : details of all my gull colour ring projects are available on the web site. All birds are ringed in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.

note 3 : Annual Reports are available on the Guernsey Gulls web site (www.guernseygulls.co.uk) and also on the Guernsey Gulls Blogspot (www.guernseygulls.blogspot.com).

note 4 : 

Dark Green legring with a four alpha code (starting letter "P").

note 1 : after the "P" a 'dot' is to be found followed by three letters.

note 2 : birds (P stands for pullus) ringed as chick on Texel, The Netherlands.

note 3 : steel ring on opposite tibia.

note 4 : these rings were used during the early years of the project and are stopped when know that an overlapping project in Spain existed.

note 5 :