Franklin's Gull
Franklin's Gull found largely in the North America. It was named after the Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin. It is a small, black headed gull. It has a white body with darker grey back and feathers. Its wingtips are black with white band. Its head become completely black in breeding season.
There is no much difference in the appearance of male and female Franklin's Gull. The only difference is that males are slightly larger than the females. Young birds are also looks like similar to the adults, despite they have less developed hoods and lack of white band on its wings. The bird becomes mature in three years.
These birds catch their prey while walking and swimming. It follows the plows, while also catches the flying insects on the wing. Like most other gulls, Franklin's Gulls are also omnivores. They eat seeds, insects, garbage, earthworms, mice, and fish. It generally weighs from 220g to 335g. However its wingspan varies from 85cm to 95cm. Franklin's Gull sounds like nasal and laughing.
It lives in marshes and inland lakes, While in winters in nests along sandy beaches, estuaries and coast in bays. Franklin's Gull breeds in central Canada from southward to Montana and western Minnesota. It also breeds in the Canadian Prairies region called Prairie Dove and in the northern USA. Its egg looks like greenish brown with dark splotches. It incubates two or three eggs for about three weeks.
Franklin's Gulls are migratory. In winter they roam around the Pacific Coast of South America including Peru and Chile. In winters they occasionally or regularly found in southern California as well. They also travel through the south-central United States and Central America in winters.
These birds nests in colonies. Franklin's Gull generally builds nests on ground, but sometimes floating as well. The floating starts sinking as the material under water starts decaying. So a floating nest needs continues maintenance. The parental birds keep adding the nest material until 1 or 2 weeks before leaving the place. The older chicks also add the material from the nearest part of the nest.
Franklin's Gull is also known with the names Mouette de Franklin in French and Caguil, Gaviota de Franklin, Caulle, Gaviotin, and Fardella in Spanish.
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