Franklin's Gull

Franklin's Gull, breeding adult; Benton Lake, MT; July

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Bonaparte's Gull, adult, winter (Basic) plumage; Pt. Pelee NPk., Ontario.

Franklin's Gull, 1st winter (Basic I) plumage; Riverhead, NY; December

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

A small, black-headed gull of the prairies, the Franklin's Gull is a common sight in the interior of North America, following plows to eat exposed worms, insects, and mice.

Description

• Small gull.
• Back ashy gray.
• Underparts white.
• Wingtips black with white tips and a white band.
• Entire head black in breeding season.

• Size: 32-36 cm (13-14 in)
• Wingspan: 85-95 cm (33-37 in)
• Weight: 220-335 g (7.77-11.83 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike; males slightly larger.

Sound

Calls nasal and laughing.

Conservation Status

The Franklin?s Gull depends on extensive prairie marshes for breeding, and entire colonies may shift sites from year to year depending on water levels. Once threatened by habitat loss due to large-scale drainage projects and the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s, this species has regained numbers with the creation of large wetlands, mainly on protected national wildlife refuges. Colony shifts continue to occur, however, influenced by drought and fluctuating water levels. Populations appear to be increasing.

Other Names

Mouette de Franklin (French)
Gaviota de Franklin, Gaviotin, Caguil, Caulle, Fardella (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The Franklin's Gull is unique among gulls in having two complete molts each year rather than one.
• The floating nest of the Franklin's Gull gradually sinks as the material below the water surface decays, and it requires continual maintenance. Both parents add new nest material daily until one or two weeks before departing the colony. Older chicks also add nest material from the immediate vicinity of the nest.

• In breeding plumage, and sometimes in nonbreeding plumage as well, the Franklin's Gull often shows a rosy pink cast (rarely salmon) on its chest and abdomen. This color is most apparent on the shafts and bases of its feathers. The color fades as the breeding season progresses as the pigment is broken down by sunlight.

Sources used to construct this page:

Burger, J., and M. Gochfeld. 1994. Franklin?s Gull (Larus pipixcan). In The Birds of North America, No. 116 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists? Union.