▁in ▁bre eding ▁birds ) ▁around ▁it . ▁The ▁tip ▁of ▁the ▁upper ▁mand ible ▁is ▁dark ▁while ▁the ▁base ▁is ▁pale ▁brown ▁bill ▁while ▁the ▁lower ▁mand ible ▁is ▁yellow ish . ▁The ▁legs ▁and ▁we bb ing ▁on ▁the ▁foot ▁are ▁yellow ▁in ▁imm atures ▁and ▁non - bre eding ▁birds ▁while ▁bre eding ▁birds ▁have ▁dark er ▁grey ▁tar si ▁and ▁to es ▁with ▁yellow ▁we bb ing . ▁The ▁sex es ▁are ▁not ▁easily ▁distinguish able ▁but ▁males ▁tend ▁to ▁have ▁black ▁spe ck les ▁that ▁co ales ce ▁on ▁the ▁white ▁thro at . ▁Ad ult ▁females ▁have ▁a ▁shorter ▁bill ▁and ▁tend ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁black ▁at ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁neck ▁and ▁ch est ▁separated ▁from ▁the ▁h ind ▁neck ▁by ▁a ▁wide ▁buff ▁band ▁that ▁ends ▁at ▁the ▁shoulder . ▁This ▁pattern ▁however ▁is ▁also ▁found ▁in ▁imm atures ▁whose ▁neck ▁is ▁l ighter ▁and ▁lack ▁the ▁long ▁pointed ▁sc ap ular s . ▁In ▁flight ▁the ▁long ▁and ▁sl ender ▁neck , ▁wide ▁wing ▁and ▁w edge ▁sh aped ▁tail ▁make ▁it ▁distinct ive . ▁Young ▁birds ▁have ▁a ▁pale ▁brown ▁neck ▁and ▁appear ▁wh it ish ▁on ▁the ▁unders ide ▁and ▁lack ▁the ▁white ▁stre ak ▁along ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁neck . ▁The ▁inner ▁second aries ▁or ▁t ert ial s ▁and ▁the ▁central ▁tail ▁fe athers ▁appear ▁w avy ▁or ▁cor rug ated . ▁The ▁tail ▁is ▁long ▁and ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁twelve ▁st iff ▁fe athers ▁which ▁are ▁drag ged ▁along