Gulls & Terns

Bonaparte's Gull

Chroicocephalus philadelphia

A small, tern-like gull with a black head in breeding plumage, pink-red legs, and buoyant flight. Named not for Napoleon but for his ornithologist nephew Charles Lucien Bonaparte.

Where to look

Nearshore waters and estuaries around Kodiak Island; often seen in fluttering flocks over tidelines.

Habitat

Coniferous forests near water for breeding; coastal and offshore waters during migration.

Diet

Small fish, invertebrates, and insects.

Natural history note

Bonaparte's Gull is unique among North American gulls in nesting in trees, preferring spruce branches in boreal forest.