Bonaparte's Gull
Encyclopedia
The Bonaparte's Gull is a small gull
.
The Bonaparte's Gull is a small species, larger only than the Little Gull
and the Saunders's Gull
among all gull species. Adults are 28 – long with a 76 – wingspan and a body mass of 162–270 g (5.7–9.5 oz). They have a black hood and a short thin dark bill. The body is mainly white with pale grey back and upper wings. The underwing is pale and the wing tips are dark. They have orange legs. In winter, the head is white.
In their first summer, the appearance of Bonaparte's Gull is similar to that in its first winter, but paler due to wear. Fewer than 5% of Bonaparte's Gulls acquire a dark hood in their first summer, and on those that do, the hood is duller than on breeding adults.
Their breeding habitat is near bogs or lakes in coniferous forest across western Canada
and Alaska
. They nest in conifers, sometimes on the ground.
They are migratory
and most move east or west to coastal waters, also the Great Lakes
. They are rare vagrants to western Europe
, where they usually associate with the somewhat larger Black-headed Gull
s.
These birds forage in flight or pick up objects while swimming or wading. They mainly eat insects, crustaceans and fish. Unlike some other gulls, this bird rarely scavenges.
They are graceful in flight, more like terns. They were named after Prince Charles Lucien Bonaparte
, a zoologist and nephew of Napoleon
.
Formerly known as Larus philadelphia, the Bonaparte's Gull was moved to the genus Chroicocephalus by the American Ornithologists' Union
in July, 2008.
Gull
Gulls are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders...
.
The Bonaparte's Gull is a small species, larger only than the Little Gull
Little Gull
The Little Gull, Hydrocoloeus minutus or Larus minutus, is a small gull which breeds in northern Europe and Asia. It also has small colonies in parts of southern Canada. It is migratory, wintering on coasts in western Europe, the Mediterranean and the northeast USA. As is the case with many gulls,...
and the Saunders's Gull
Saunders's Gull
Saunders's Gull is a species of gull in the Laridae family.It is found in China, Hong Kong, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Macau, Russia, Taiwan, and Vietnam....
among all gull species. Adults are 28 – long with a 76 – wingspan and a body mass of 162–270 g (5.7–9.5 oz). They have a black hood and a short thin dark bill. The body is mainly white with pale grey back and upper wings. The underwing is pale and the wing tips are dark. They have orange legs. In winter, the head is white.
In their first summer, the appearance of Bonaparte's Gull is similar to that in its first winter, but paler due to wear. Fewer than 5% of Bonaparte's Gulls acquire a dark hood in their first summer, and on those that do, the hood is duller than on breeding adults.
Their breeding habitat is near bogs or lakes in coniferous forest across western Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. They nest in conifers, sometimes on the ground.
They are migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
and most move east or west to coastal waters, also the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
. They are rare vagrants to western Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where they usually associate with the somewhat larger Black-headed Gull
Black-headed Gull
The Black-headed Gull is a small gull which breeds in much of Europe and Asia, and also in coastal eastern Canada. Most of the population is migratory, wintering further south, but some birds in the milder westernmost areas of Europe are resident...
s.
These birds forage in flight or pick up objects while swimming or wading. They mainly eat insects, crustaceans and fish. Unlike some other gulls, this bird rarely scavenges.
They are graceful in flight, more like terns. They were named after Prince Charles Lucien Bonaparte
Charles Lucien Bonaparte
Charles Lucien Jules Laurent Bonaparte, 2nd Prince of Canino and Musignano was a French naturalist and ornithologist.-Biography:...
, a zoologist and nephew of Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
.
Formerly known as Larus philadelphia, the Bonaparte's Gull was moved to the genus Chroicocephalus by the American Ornithologists' Union
American Ornithologists' Union
The American Ornithologists' Union is an ornithological organization in the USA. Unlike the National Audubon Society, its members are primarily professional ornithologists rather than amateur birders...
in July, 2008.
External links
- Bonaparte's Gull Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Bonaparte's Gull - Larus philadelphia - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
- Bonaparte's Gull Information and Photos - South Dakota Birds and Birding
- Avibase