Bonaparte's
Gull, Larus
philadelphia
|
|
![]() Bonaparte's are handsome small gulls that become adults in two years. Here are two in full breeding plumage: above, on the nesting grounds in Alaska in late May; below, a migrant already fully molted as it passes through California on May 1. |
|
![]() |
|
![]() Above and below, two views of a breeding plumage bird in flight in Alaska. |
|
![]() |
|
![]() A first-winter Bonaparte's, with the M-shaped pattern on the upper wings, and dark tips on the tail feathers. | |
![]() Bonaparte's Gulls are tern-like in appearance, flight, and feeding behavior, often fluttering over water daintily picking food off the surface; see above, and the three-image sequence below. | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() | |
![]() This ratty-looking bird is molting out of the brown juvenal plumage into the gray adult-type feathers of first winter in July. |
|
![]() This October bird's dark bar between back and flanks is the inward slanting arm of the "M" pattern on the upperparts of first-winter Bonaparte's Gull, as shown further up the page. Below, a ventral flight view of another first-winter bird from the same flock. |
|
![]() |
|
![]() An all-white tail, seen on the flying birds above and in the two pictures below, indicate adults in non-breeding plumage. |
|
![]() |
|
![]() |
|
![]() A standing bird in adult non-breeding plumage. |