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Seagulls are underrated IMHO: * Very good at soaring, expending little energy compared to ducks and other waterbirds. * Can take off near vertically from wate
by ilamont 2y ago
Seagulls are underrated IMHO:
* Very good at soaring, expending little energy compared to ducks and other waterbirds.
* Can take off near vertically from water or land, without requiring a long runway like cormorants.
* Highly intelligent including tool use (https://susancunninghambooks.com/blog/2018/8/23/the-secret-life-of-seagulls https://susancunninghambooks.com/blog/2018/8/23/the-secret-l...)
* They will eat almost anything and will employ different techniques from hunting for live prey to opportunistic filching of dead fish and other animals' food.
* They have an enourmous range and are very adaptable. One South American species nests in a waterless desert and brings water and food from the ocean to its young, a distance of up to 100km. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331083/ https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc331083/)
* Lifespan of many decades
- JohnMakin 2y agoAnecdotally, I'm pretty sure they keep a long memory and can recognize people like corvids are known to do - I used to work near the beach, and a particular seagull would fly up to me, and only me, for a period of about 2 years because I would give him food scraps. Never did it for any of my other coworkers. Was always amazed by that.
- Dunati 2y agoOne of my co-workers gave a seagull a tortilla one day (out the 5th floor window), and it ended up being our unofficial office mascot for years.
- bondarchuk 2y agoI gave a seagull some snack one day and next thing I knew there were a 100 swarming about me, would not recommend.
- olyjohn 2y agoGave a seagull some french fries at the beach. Flock shows up. People downwind were not pleased to be getting pooped on.
- nashashmi 2y agothey are not seagulls. Link has an update at the end. AP news says they are American oystercatchers
- peanut_worm 2y agoMost people seem surprised to learn they live for 30+ years I saw a Kittiwake gull in Florida once and then the same year visited their nesting grounds in Iceland. I can’t believe such a tiny little bird can fly that far and survive. That being said the one in Florida was probably lost lol
- taneq 2y agoIf only we could convince them to drop inflatable life rafts on drowning swimmers... ;)