Bonaparte's Gull

Bonaparte's Gull, adult at its nest; Churchill, Manitoba; June

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Bonaparte's Gull, non-breeding adult; Ventura, CA; January

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A small, graceful gull with bright white patches in its wings, the Bonaparte's Gull winters near people, but breeds in the isolated taiga and boreal forest.

Description

• Small gull.
• White triangle in outer part of wing.
• Back pale gray.
• Underparts white.
• Head black during breeding.
• Dark spot behind eyes in winter.

• Size: 28-38 cm (11-15 in)
• Wingspan: 76-80 cm (30-31 in)
• Weight: 180-225 g (6.35-7.94 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Sound

Call a buzzy "keh-keh."

Conservation Status

Numbers have increased over last 100 years.

Other Names

Mouette de Bonaparte (French)
Gaviota de Bonaparte (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The Bonaparte's Gull is the only gull that regularly nests in trees.
• The English name of the Bonaparte's Gull honors Charles Lucien Bonaparte, who made important contributions to American ornithology while an active member of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia during the 1820s. The scientific name philadelphia was given in 1815 by the describer of the species, George Ord of Philadelphia, presumably because he collected his specimen there.

• During the breeding season, the Bonaparte's Gull feeds mainly on insects, often catching them on the wing.

Sources used to construct this page:

Burger, J., and M. Gochfeld. 2002. Bonaparte?s Gull (Larus philadelphia). In The Birds of North America, No. 634 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.