Birds
Bonaparte's Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphia · also called Bonaparte's gulls
Settling onto a branch deep within the boreal forest, a Bonaparte’s gull does something almost no other gull in the world regularly does, choosing a tree over open ground to raise its next brood.
Overview
Bonaparte’s gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia, is a small, delicately built gull native to forest habitat across the North American boreal region, wintering along coastal areas farther south. Its highly unusual habit of nesting in trees, light and buoyant flight style, and namesake connection to a nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte make it one of the most behaviourally distinctive members of the entire gull family.
Breaking the gull rulebook
Nearly every gull in the world nests on open ground, cliffs, or beaches, which makes Bonaparte’s gull’s preference for tree nests in the boreal forest one of the more surprising exceptions found anywhere in the family.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread and stable across suitable forest and coastal habitat throughout its North American range.
Bonaparte's Gull: common questions
Why is it unusual for Bonaparte's gull to nest in trees?
This species is one of the only gulls that regularly nests in trees, a striking departure from the rest of the gull family, which overwhelmingly nests on open ground, cliffs, or beaches instead.
Who was Bonaparte's gull named after?
This species is named after Charles Lucien Bonaparte, a nineteenth-century ornithologist and nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, rather than after the French emperor himself.
Where does Bonaparte's gull breed?
This species breeds in boreal forest habitat near lakes and wetlands across North America, a very different setting from the coastal cliffs and beaches favoured by most other gull species.
How can you identify Bonaparte's gull?
This species can be identified by its small, delicately built body, light and buoyant flight style, and a black hood that develops during the breeding season.