Feb. 17, 2019 - Bonaparte's Gulls

During our winter stay on St. George Island, Florida, I like to explore the beach along the Gulf of Mexico. One day, I saw these two Bonaparte’s Gulls resting on the sand. At 13½ inches long, they are the smallest regularly occurring gulls that we see in North America. This photo shows them in non-breeding plumage, which includes a dark spot behind the eye. In breeding plumage, the head will be entirely black. It takes two years for a Bonaparte’s Gull to molt into adult plumage like the bird on the right. The bird on the left, with more black in its wing feathers, is in 1st winter plumage.

GullBonaparte'sadultandimmatureSikesCutThePlantationGeorgeIsland20190202

These gulls were feeding by slowly flying just above the shallow water along the coastline. Their flight has been described as delicate and buoyant.

GullBonaparte'sadultfeedingSikesCutThePlantationGeorgeIsland20190202

At times, they seem to hover just above the water as they search for small fish, insects, and other tiny sea creatures.

GullBonaparte'sadultfeedingSikesCutThePlantationGeorgeIsland20190202

This gull seemed to have spotted some kind of a food item in the water below.

GullBonaparte'sadultfeedingSikesCutThePlantationGeorgeIsland20190202

It dove in but kept its wings up so it could immediately lift off again.

GullBonaparte'sadultfeedingSikesCutThePlantationGeorgeIsland20190202

The previous photos have shown the adult gull and here is the younger one flying along the shore. Note the beautiful black and white pattern on its wings and the black tip of its tail.

GullBonaparte'simmaturefeedingSikesCutThePlantationGeorgeIsland20190202

Bonaparte’s Gulls were named after the French zoologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte, a distant relative of Napoleon Bonaparte. Unlike other gulls, these birds are seldom found foraging in garbage dumps.

GullBonaparte'simmaturefeedingSikesCutThePlantationGeorgeIsland20190202

An interesting fact about Bonaparte’s Gulls is that they migrate to remote lakes in Canada for the summer. They build their nests in coniferous trees, another way they distinguish themselves from other gulls. They do migrate to both U.S. coastlines to spend the winter.

GullBonaparte'simmaturefeedingSikesCutThePlantationGeorgeIsland20190202