Bonaparte's Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphia
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderCharadriiformes (Caradriformes)
- FamilyLaridae (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
- GenusChroicocephalus (Masked Gulls and allies)
- SpeciesChroicocephalus philadelphia (Bonaparte's Gull)
Bonaparte's gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) is a gull found mainly in northern North America. At 28 to 38 cm (11 to 15 in) in length, it is one of the smallest species of gull. Its plumage is mainly white with grey upperparts. During breeding season, Bonaparte's gull gains a slaty-black hood. The sexes are similar in appearance. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Bonaparte's Gull sighting in Katmai National Park, based on 34 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Katmai National Park
Glaucous-winged Gull
Larus glaucescens
Short-billed Gull
Larus brachyrhynchus
Arctic Tern
Sterna paradisaea
Black-legged Kittiwake
Rissa tridactyla
Slaty-backed Gull
Larus schistisagus
American Herring Gull
Larus smithsonianus
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia
Sabine's Gull
Xema sabini
Glaucous Gull
Larus hyperboreus
Aleutian Tern
Onychoprion aleuticus
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Bonaparte's Gull in Katmai National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Bonaparte's Gull sighting in Katmai National Park, based on 34 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Bonaparte's Gull in Katmai National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Bonaparte's Gull in Katmai National Park in our monthly data.