The order Longipennes has ten representatives in Iowa, four of the species being gulls and six terns. The Great Black-backed Gull is mentioned by Allen as a rare migrant occurring within our borders. It is probable that none have been seen within recent years. The Herring Gull migrates over nearly all of the Mississippi Valley. Franklin’s Gull breeds from southern Minnesota northward, passing through Iowa during migration, but is not a common variety. Bonaparte’s Gull is strictly northern in its nidification, wintering on the gulf coast and traversing Iowa during migrations. The Gull-billed Tern is chiefly a coast bird breeding on the Gulf of Mexico, but is occasionally reported from the various portions of the Mississippi Valley. The Caspian Tern was taken by J. W. Preston in central Iowa, but should probably be considered as a straggler. It is an irregularly distributed species and is found chiefly along the gulf coast. Forster’s Tern is a common variety in northern Iowa, and is generally distributed over the state as a summer resident, wintering on the coast. The Common Tern, according to Mr. Preston before quoted, has been taken in Central Iowa. The Least Tern, while chiefly coastwise in its habitat, is occasionally found in various parts of the Mississippi Valley. I do not know at what place nor at what season specimens have been taken in Iowa, but Mr. Allen names it in his list. The Black Tern is the most common of the class with us as a summer resident.
Of the Steganopodes there are two species. The Double-crested Cormorant winters south and is common during migrations. I have taken several specimens in Franklin county. The American White Pelican winters in the gulf states and passes through Iowa to its breeding place in the north.
The order Anseres has thirty species which have been taken in Iowa. The fish-eating ducks have three representatives, the American, Red-breasted, and Hooded Mergansers, all of which I have seen in Franklin county. The American Merganser winters south and nests north, passing through Iowa as a migrant, one of the earliest. The Red-breasted Merganser is said to be an occasional winter resident in favored portions of the state, but is more common as a migrant. The Hooded Merganser is a hardier species than the former, wintering further north, though not frequently in Iowa, owing to the freezing of almost all the water courses.