UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
$Mik BULLETIN No. 292 
•^IfcSSir/Kii^? flontrihution from t.hfi Rnrfiau of Itiolot'iral Survev 
Contribution from the Bureau of Biological Survey 
HENRY W. HENSHAW, Chief 
iSW^'^J*^ 
Washington, D. C. 
October 25, 1915 
DISTRIBUTION AND MIGRATION OF NORTH 
AMERICAN GULLS AND THEIR ALLIES. 
By Wells W. Cooke, Assistant 
CONTENTS. 
Introduction 1 
Economic importance of gulls 1 
Bird refuges 2 
Protection by private associations 3 
Legal protection 3 
Distribution 4 
Old World forms accidental in North 
America 4 
Forms breeding in the Arctic not 
wintering in the United States. . 4 
Page. 
Introduction — Continued. 
Distribution— Continued. 
Forms breeding and wintering in the 
United States 4 
Forms breeding in the Arctic but 
occurring in the United States in 
winter or in migration 5 
Migration 5 
Annotated list of species 5 
Index 69 
INTRODUCTION. 
Gulls, including skuas and jaegers, are represented in the United 
States by 22 species or subspecies and are important from several 
points of view. Belonging to the order of long-winged swimmers, 
they are strong of wing, and nearly all are coast-loving forms. They 
spend comparatively little of their time in fresh water; but some are 
true inland birds, frequenting prairies, marshes, and inland lakes. 
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF GULLS. 
Flocks of gulls resting lightly on the waters of our harbors or fol- 
lowing the wake of water craft are a familiar sight, but not every 
observer of the graceful motions of the birds is aware of the fact that 
gulls are the original " white wings." As sea scavengers they wel- 
come as food dead fish, garbage, and offal of various sorts, and their 
Note.— This bulletin presents precise information regarding the ranges of the several species of gulls 
and their allies, the skuas and jaegers, especially the breeding ranges and migrations, and includes data 
for use for legislative reference to -serve as a basis for legal protection for the species by States in which 
they are found. For general distribution. 
3673°— Bull. 292—15 1 
