Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) is in the Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers family (Laridae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 15,871 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Bonaparte's Gull: observations by month (U.S.)
About Bonaparte's Gull
Bonaparte's gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) is a small gull found mainly in North America.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Bonaparte's Gull by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3,380 | November | Nov–Jan |
| Florida | 1,062 | January | Dec–Feb |
| Washington | 1,044 | November | Jul–Nov |
| Texas | 918 | January | Dec–Mar |
| Ohio | 856 | April | Mar–May |
| Alaska | 742 | July | Apr–Aug |
| Oregon | 552 | November | Oct–Nov |
| Michigan | 520 | April | Apr–May |
| New York | 515 | January | Nov–Jan |
| Massachusetts | 487 | November | Oct–Dec |
| Maryland | 405 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Maine | 398 | August | Jun–Sep |
| North Carolina | 390 | January | Nov–Apr |
| South Carolina | 380 | March | Dec–Mar |
| Illinois | 318 | March | Mar–May |
| Virginia | 313 | April | Dec–Apr |
| Wisconsin | 310 | April | Apr–May |
| New Jersey | 285 | April | Mar–May |
| Pennsylvania | 282 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Alabama | 237 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Minnesota | 220 | April | Apr–May |
| Tennessee | 207 | December | Nov–Apr |
| Oklahoma | 167 | November | Nov–Jan |
| Colorado | 158 | April | Apr–May |
| Vermont | 149 | May | Apr–May |
| Utah | 140 | November | Oct–Nov |
| Delaware | 139 | January | Dec–Jan |
| Indiana | 130 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Georgia | 92 | March | Dec–Mar |
| Mississippi | 92 | January | Dec–Mar |
| Arizona | 90 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Missouri | 90 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Idaho | 88 | January | Jan–Jan |
| Louisiana | 86 | January | Dec–Mar |
| New Hampshire | 64 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Rhode Island | 61 | June | Jun–Aug |
| South Dakota | 58 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Kansas | 56 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Kentucky | 49 | November | Oct–Dec |
| Arkansas | 44 | March | Mar–Apr |
| New Mexico | 44 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Montana | 40 | November | Aug–Nov |
| Nebraska | 37 | April | Apr–May |
| Iowa | 35 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Connecticut | 31 | March | Feb–Apr |
| District of Columbia | 24 | April | Apr–Apr |
| North Dakota | 24 | April | Apr–May |
| West Virginia | 21 | November | Nov–Nov |
| Wyoming | 18 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Nevada | 17 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Hawaii | 6 | April | Dec–Apr |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers)
Ring-billed Gull
Laughing Gull
Western Gull
American Herring Gull
Royal Tern
Forster's Tern
California Gull
Caspian Tern
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bonaparte's Gull?
Nationally, April has the most observations, with the main season from October to May.
Where is Bonaparte's Gull most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Florida, Washington.