Bonaparte's Gull
The Bonaparte’s Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) is one of the smallest and most elegant gulls in North America. Named after Charles Lucien Bonaparte, a nephew of Napoleon and a pioneering ornithologist, it is uniquely known as the only gull that regularly nests in trees—specifically spruce and tamaracks in the boreal forest.
Physical Characteristics:
Habitat and Diet:
Range: They breed in the boreal forests of Alaska and Canada and winter along the coasts of North America, as well as on large inland lakes.
Diet: Highly versatile; they are primarily insectivorous during the breeding season, often catching insects in mid-air. In winter, they shift to small fish, crustaceans, and marine worms.
Feeding Style: Unlike many gulls, they rarely scavenge in landfills. They prefer to pick prey from the water surface with a graceful, fluttering action.
Comparison with Similar Species:
Feature Bonaparte's Gull Black-headed Gull
Hood ColorBlack / Slaty-black Chocolate-brown
Bill All black and slender Orange with a black tip
Underwing Pale; lacks strong contrast Strong black-and-white contrast
Physical Characteristics:
- Size and Shape: Small and tern-like with narrow, pointed wings. They average 28–38 cm in length with a wingspan of approximately 90–100 cm.
- Breeding Plumage: Adults sport a distinctive slaty-black hood, thin white eye crescents, and bright orange-red legs.
- Winter Plumage: The hood disappears, leaving the head mostly white with a characteristic dark spot behind the eye (the ear spot).
- Bill: Slender, black, and pin-like.
- Flight Pattern: They exhibit a prominent white wedge on the outer wing, which is a key identification feature in flight.
Habitat and Diet:
Range: They breed in the boreal forests of Alaska and Canada and winter along the coasts of North America, as well as on large inland lakes.
Diet: Highly versatile; they are primarily insectivorous during the breeding season, often catching insects in mid-air. In winter, they shift to small fish, crustaceans, and marine worms.
Feeding Style: Unlike many gulls, they rarely scavenge in landfills. They prefer to pick prey from the water surface with a graceful, fluttering action.
Comparison with Similar Species:
Feature Bonaparte's Gull Black-headed Gull
Hood ColorBlack / Slaty-black Chocolate-brown
Bill All black and slender Orange with a black tip
Underwing Pale; lacks strong contrast Strong black-and-white contrast