Bonaparte's Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia (Ord, 1815)    Synonyms: BOGU.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Aves   >   Order Charadriiformes   >   Family Laridae   >   Genus Chroicocephalus   

Status:

The Bonaparte's Gull was named not for the French general, but for his nephew, the zoologist Charles Lucien Bonaparte. This gull is a winter resident along the Atlantic Coast, where it feasts on fish, crustaceans, and other marine life. On its Canadian breeding grounds, it subsists mostly on insects, often taking them on the wing. It also nests in trees, an unusual habit among gulls.

Where to find:

In winter, most easily found at the Ocean City Inlet. In spring migration, can be abundant along Back River and the Susquehanna River.

Relationships:

Large flocks sometimes attract vagrant Little Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, and others.

There are 361 records in the project database.

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Bonaparte's Gull in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (4/7/2024). (c) dansmall, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). - Dan Small.

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A Bonaparte's Gull feeding along the sea wall at Fort Smallwood, Maryland (1/3/2010). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Bonaparte's Gull in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (3/3/2018). Photo by Daniel Irons. (MBP list)

A Bonaparte's Gull in Harford Co., Maryland (4/2/2019). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

Bonaparte's Gulls in Harford Co., Maryland (3/28/2015). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

A Bonaparte's Gull feeding on the Susquehanna River in Harford Co., Maryland (3/28/2015). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

A Bonaparte's Gull at Flag Ponds Nature Park, Calvert Co., Maryland (12/3/2011). Photo by Rob Ostrowski. (MBP list)

Bonaparte's Gulls in Howard Co., Maryland (11/12/2019). Photo by Clayton Koonce. (MBP list)

An adult Bonaparte's Gull over Somerset Co., Maryland (4/10/2011). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A first-cycle Bonaparte's Gull along the Susquehanna River in Harford Co., Maryland (3/21/2015). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A migrant first-cycle Bonaparte's Gull soars over Somerset Co., Maryland (4/10/2011). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Bonaparte's Gull in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (12/2/2010). Photo by Bill Keim. (MBP list)

A Bonaparte's Gull in Howard Co., Maryland (4/6/2014). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Bonaparte's Gull in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (3/3/2018). Photo by Daniel Irons. (MBP list)

A first cycle Bonaparte's Gull at the Ocean City Inlet, Worcester Co., Maryland (1/1/2010). Photo by Mikey Lutmerding. (MBP list)

A Bonaparte's Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/5/2014). Photo by Scott Housten. (MBP list)

Bonaparte's Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (12/30/2023). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bonaparte's Gull in Howard Co., Maryland (4/6/2014). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

A Bonaparte's Gull foraging at the Ocean City Inlet in Worcester Co., Maryland (3/31/2014). Photo by Mike Burchett. (MBP list)

A Bonaparte's Gull in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/27/2021). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A first-cycle Bonaparte's Gull in Harford Co., Maryland (8/24/2014). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

An immature Bonaparte's Gull in Harford Co., Maryland (3/5/2018). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A first-cycle Bonaparte's Gull in Garrett Co., Maryland (8/6/2023). (c) Aidan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by aidanrf via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bonaparte's Gull in Dorchester Co., Maryland (1/22/2024). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

An immature Bonaparte's Gull in Harford Co., Maryland (8/9/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

A Bonaparte's Gull in North Beach, Calvert Co., Maryland (4/24/2005). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Bonaparte's Gull in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (11/8/2020). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons. (MBP list)

Bonaparte's Gull in Dorchester Co., Maryland (1/22/2024). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Bonaparte's Gull in Dorchester Co., Maryland (1/22/2024). (c) Jonathan Irons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Jonathan Irons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A juvenile Bonaparte's Gull on Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co., Maryland (9/11/1983). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A juvenile Bonaparte's Gull in Calvert Co., Maryland (11/28/2022). (c) rosalie-rick, all rights reserved. Photo by rosalie-rick via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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