Bird of the Week – Bonaparte’s Gull

A couple of folks asked what WC meant by saying gulls had lots of different plumages. We’ll use today’s bird, the Bonaparte’s Gull, to illustrate the point. Here’s an adult Bonaparte’s Gull in breeding plumage: Note the deep black hood extending to the back of the skull, the black bill  and the pale grey back. If you could see the legs, they’re fire engine red. Then there’s this bird: This is the same species, except the adult is in non-breeding plumage. The head is white, except for a small black spot behind the ear; the bill is solid black. The…