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The Ultimate Guide to Seagulls: Facts, Diet, Habitat, and Behavior

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Seagulls are among the most recognizable birds in the world. Known for their resilience and adaptability, these strong seabirds are often found patrolling coastlines and cities alike. While many associate them with stealing beach snacks, seagulls are complex, intelligent creatures with fascinating behaviors and a diverse diet.

Here is an in-depth look at everything you need to know about seagulls.

The Ultimate Guide to Seagulls: Facts, Diet, Habitat, and Behavior

The Ultimate Guide to Seagulls: Facts, Diet, Habitat, and Behavior

Physical Characteristics and Identification

Seagulls are robust birds characterized by long wings, thick, hooked beaks, and fully webbed feet similar to those of ducks. Their wings are broad, and their tails can be either rounded or sharp-angled.

1. Identifying specific gull species can be challenging for birdwatchers due to the existence of approximately 43 different species.

• Identification Tips: Experts often look at the color of the beak or legs to distinguish between species.
• Size: Seagulls vary significantly in size, ranging from 28 to 81 cm. Generally, males are slightly larger than females and possess larger beaks.
• Lifespan: These birds are long-lived, with some species surviving for more than 20 years in the wild.
• Appearance Changes: Plumage often changes based on the season or the bird's maturity level.

Habitat and Distribution

Seagulls are incredibly adaptable. While their natural habitats include coastal areas, cliffs, and low-lying shores, they have successfully colonized urban environments.

• Urban Adaptation: It is common to spot seagulls in cities, particularly around parking lots and waste dumps, where food is easily accessible.
• Global Range: They are found worldwide, from North and South America to the Caribbean, Brazil, Peru, and the coasts of the United States. Specific species also thrive in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and even the Antarctic islands.
• Roosting: As perching birds, they tend to return to favorite spots for sleeping and living.

What Do Seagulls Eat? (A Diverse Diet)

Seagulls are opportunistic omnivores. While they are famously known for eating human food scraps like french fries and bread, their natural diet is carnivorous and predatory.

1. Fish

Fish make up the bulk of a seagull's diet. Since they cannot dive deep, they hunt in shallow waters. Common prey includes sardines, salmon, and tilapia.

2. Shellfish and Mollusks

Seagulls display remarkable intelligence when eating shellfish. They will carry clams or mussels high into the air and drop them onto hard surfaces (like rocks) to break the shells, using gravity rather than brute force. They also consume lobsters and crabs.

3. Marine Mammals

Surprisingly, seagulls can be aggressive predators.

• Whales: When whales surface to breathe, seagulls may peck at their skin and fat.
• Seals: Seagulls are known to target defenseless baby seals. They often attack the eyes first to incapacitate the pup before the flock feeds on it.
• Scavenging: They frequently feed on the carcasses of dolphins, whales, and seals washed up on the beach.

4. Fruits and Nuts

In different parts of the world, seagulls supplement their diet with vegetation.

• Fruits: They eat apples, bananas, and grapes, either from nature or human trash.
• Nuts: To get essential fats and proteins, they consume cashews, pecans, and peanuts, despite plant protein being less ideal for them than meat.

Behavior and Social Structure

Seagulls are highly social, noisy, and competitive birds.

• Patrolling: They patrol beaches and open oceans in groups, soaring like birds of prey to spot food.
• Thievery: They are notorious for harassing other birds to steal their catch.
• Hygiene: Despite their scavenging habits, seagulls are clean animals. They spend hours bathing and preening their feathers.

Mating and Reproduction

Seagulls typically begin breeding around the age of four.

• Courtship: Males perform rituals to attract females, which often involve feeding the partner. Once paired, the couple is generally monogamous, though separations can occur.
• The Clutch: They breed once a year, typically laying 3 eggs.
• Co-parenting: Both parents take turns incubating the eggs so the other can feed. After hatching, one parent always stays at the nest until the chicks are at least one month old.

Nesting Habits

Nest selection is a careful process done by the pair to ensure protection from wind and predators.

• Location: Nests are built in loose soil, sand, short vegetation, or rocky crevices. They often choose spots next to rocks or logs for camouflage.
• Construction: Before laying eggs, the couple digs approximately four trial holes (25–38 cm long and a standard egg's depth). They eventually select one and line it with feathers, twigs, and other materials.
• Maintenance: The couple continues to add twigs to the nest throughout the month-long incubation period.

In conclusion

Summary: Seagulls are complex, intelligent survivors. Whether they are dropping clams on rocks to crack them open or navigating busy city streets for scraps, these birds have mastered the art of adaptation across the globe.

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