Bonaparte's Gull is the most tern-like of North American gulls, with buoyant flight and a delicate appearance. Named for the French naturalist Charles Lucien Bonaparte, it nests in boreal spruce forests — the only North American gull that regularly nests in trees. Breeding birds have a neat black hood. It often gathers in enormous concentrations at Niagara Falls and other river outlets.
Best time to see a Bonaparte's Gull
The best time to see a Bonaparte's Gull is November–April, when about 69% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 15,443 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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