Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region: Species Accounts

Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan)

Abundance:  Rare; 11 records in 2 Kentucky counties (Map of UCR Distribution); data from the Regional bird-monitoring efforts are too few to determine a trend in the population migrating through the Region (see also Regional Bird-Monitoring Plan).

Status: Transient during spring (1 record) and fall (8 records); Visitor during winter (2 records); photograph (see link below).

Regional High Count: 350+ (29 October 2015; Barren County, Kentucky; David L. Roemer photos).

Information on Records: 

10 October 1990 (1—immature) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Jackie B. Elmore, Sr. [notes]; Stamm and Monroe 1991a).

28 December 1998 (3) Glasgow CBC, Barren County, Kentucky (fide Wayne M. Mason, CBC compiler; Ferrell 1999).

4 November 2002 (2) Barren River Reservoir, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer; Busroe 2003a).

31 October 2006 (2—1 adult and 1 first-year) Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, Kentucky (David L. Roemer; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2007a).

1 December 2006 (1—first-year) Fishing Creek Recreation Area, Lake Cumberland, Pulaski County, Kentucky (Roseanna M. Denton photo; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2007b).

22/23/24/26 October 2007 (32/27/3/4) Barren River Reservoir, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer/David L. Roemer/David L. Roemer/David L. Roemer, T. Aaron Hulsey), photo (David L. Roemer; 23 October 2007).

4/11 November 2008 (1/1) Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, Kentucky (David L. Roemer/T. Aaron Hulsey).

28 September/13 October–1 November 2009 (2/1-5—all first-cycle) Barren River Reservoir/Barren River Reservoir State Resort Park, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer/David L. Roemer et al.).

1 May 2010 (1—alternate) Barren River Reservoir, Barren/Allen counties, Kentucky (David L. Roemer; Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2010c).

28/29–31 October/1/2/4 November 2010 (2—adults/17/3/2) Barren River Reservoir, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer et al.).

29 October 2015/6 November 2015 (350+/216) Barren River Reservoir, Barren County, Kentucky (David L. Roemer photo).

Regional Extreme Dates:

    Fall: 28 September 2009 (Barren County, Kentucky; David L. Roemer)–28 December 1998 (Barren County, Kentucky; fide Wayne M. Mason; Ferrell 1999).

    Spring: 1 May 2010 (Barren County, Kentucky; David L. Roemer), only Regional spring record.

YardWatch Results 2003 and 2004: No registrations.

Habitat: Usually near water, but this gull tends to be found away from water, especially during spring, more than most other small gulls that occur within the Region.

Remarks: 

Check-lists of Birds for the Counties of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of each county of the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed by clicking on the links below. For each county, there are two check-lists: one list that shows the species that have been observed and where possible documented in the county within the larger list for the entire Region; and one list that includes only the species observed in the county with annotations for the date and observers for at least one sighting (the ultimate goal of the latter list will be to include annotations for the very first known Regional observation of each species in that county; this goal is probably one that will take many years to complete, if completion is even a possibility). To see if the species discussed in this species account has been observed in a county, click below or click on the link for the Map of UCR Distribution near the top of the page.

Check-lists of Birds for Some Public Access Birding Sites of the UCR

Check-lists of the birds of some public access birding sites within the Upper Cumberland Region may be viewed via the links below. To see if the species dealt with in this species account has been observed within any of these sites, click on the appropriate link below. See the pages for each county within the Gazetteer for links to additional smaller public access birding sites with check-lists in progress.

Literature Cited