gulls

Bonaparte’s Gull

Bonaparte’s Gull
This small gull is a Bonaparte’s Gull (scientific name: Chroicocephalus Philadelphia) in its nonbreeding colors with a black smudge behind its eye. Bonaparte’s Gulls breed in Canada and Alaska from late May to July, where they are the only gull species nesting in trees. In the north, nesting pairs can be found in spruce trees.
The gulls fly south for the winter, feeding on small insects and fish by flying close to the water and plucking them from the air or water. They live near water, mostly lakes and ponds, but they can also be found near the ocean.
Photo Credit and Author: Rowan Waldo
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Ring-billed Gull

Ring-billed gulls, Larus delawarensis, are the most common gull and can be found throughout the US. They have yellow legs, a gray back, and a black ring that circles their short, yellow beak. These medium-sized gulls can fly at speeds up to 40 mph and skillfully remain motionless in the wind.
Breeding takes place in Northern US and Canada. Ring-billed gulls can be found throughout the central US in the spring and fall during migration. They spend their winters throughout the southern US, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Look for Ring-billed gulls on the coasts and estuaries. Comfortable around humans, these gulls are frequently found near docks and harbors. They are commonly seen inland near lakes and ponds as well as in parking lots and landfills.
The Ring-billed gull’s natural diet consists of fish such as smelt, insects such as beetles and dragonflies, as well as rodents, earthworms, and grains. Unfortunately, they have acquired quite an appetite for french fries and other unhealthy, discarded human food.
Due to habitat loss and hunting, humans nearly decimated the Ring-billed gull population. The 1917 Migratory Birds Convention Act (Canada) and 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act (U.S.) offered the protection this bird needed to recover. Today, Ring-billed gulls are thriving and expanding their breeding territory.
Photo: Credit: Dan Kon
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Laughing Gull

If you have been to a beach in Florida, you have surely heard the distinct call of the laughing gull. Laughing gulls (Leucophaeus atricilla) are year-round Florida residents and are often seen in flocks on beaches, in salt marshes, and nearby parking lots. They are often seen inland in fields, near rivers, or at your local garbage dump.

Both males and females build nests in colonies on the ground under the cover of bushes or grasses. The parents take turns incubating the eggs for about 20 days and both feed the young for the next 5 weeks. Food includes foraged crustaceans, small fish, and insects. In the spring, horseshoe crab eggs and the eggs of other birds provide a tasty meal. Earthworms and snails are sometimes eaten. These birds are not picky eaters so be sure to carefully dispose of your food scraps and food wrappers.

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