GULLS AND TERNS: Family Laridae [ 2.95 ] 



the winter is one of the abundant species present on the seashore, which 

 it frequents from the mouth of the Columbia River to the California line. 

 At times it is exceedingly abundant also on the Columbia as far inland 

 as Portland, where it rests in little fleets on the golf courses and public 

 parks near the Willamette River. The grounds of the Benson Polytechnic 

 School are a favorite resort when the birds are in the harbor, and hundreds 

 of them are present there at times. Occasionally, the species wanders 

 inland in other parts of the State, but so far as we know there are no 

 authentic records of it east of the Cascades. Prill reported taking three 

 specimens near Scio, September 2.1, 1900, and Gabrielson shot two out 

 of a mixed flock of gulls, on Diamond Lake, September 16, 192.7. Except 

 for these, our own records are confined to the coast counties and the 

 Columbia River. The birds remain in abundance well into March and 

 then diminish in numbers rapidly. Our latest date is April 10 (Clatsop 

 County). 



These small gulls are beach scavengers in Oregon, as are most of the 

 other wintering gulls, although they feed on insects and small crustaceans 

 to a greater extent than do some of the larger species. The two Diamond 

 Lake birds collected by Gabrielson were crammed with insects picked 

 from the surface of the water. The great bulk of the food of one of them 

 had been ants, more than 500 of which were counted in one full stomach. 

 A strong offshore breeze had blown the insects onto the lake to perish, 

 and in one bay their bodies were so thick as to form almost a solid film 

 on the surface. The gulls, numerous little Eared Grebes, and other water- 

 fowl were gobbling them up eagerly in competition with the little trout 

 that had just been released by State Game Commission employees. As 

 these little trout broke water, it appeared from the shore that they were 

 being eaten by the gulls, and the two gulls were collected to satisfy the 

 game warden and Gabrielson as to what was actually happening. A 

 specimen collected January 2.4, 192.1, at Netarts by Alex Walker contained 

 quite a collection of insects, largely beetles, some of which indicated the 

 presence of carrion in the stomach. As none of the feeding habits of this 

 little gull are inimical to man and as it acts as a scavenger, its protection 

 while in the territory is fully justified. 



Bonaparte's Gull: 



Lams Philadelphia (Ord) 



DESCRIPTION. "Adults in summer: Bill and head black ; mantle delicate pearl gray; 

 three outer quills chiefly white, outer web of the first, and terminal portion of all, 

 black; tail and under parts white; feet orange red. Adults in winter: head white, 

 tinged with gray behind and with a dusky spot on ear coverts; feet pale flesh color. 

 Young: top of head, back, and spot on ear coverts dusky; sides of head, neck, and 

 under parts white, including tail coverts and base of tail; band across end of tail 

 blackish, feathers tipped with white." (Bailey) Downy young: Little known, but 



