Do Seagulls Really Eat Fish? An In-Depth Look at the Diverse Diet of Seagulls

My family and I were having a beach picnic when my daughter threw some cookies for the seagulls to eat. Because I was interested, I threw them some fried chicken to see if they would eat it. They didnt. Even though seagulls eat everything, they seemed to know I was trying to feed them bird food. Is there anything to this? Sponsored Sponsored.

They seemed to know. The gull vibes told you, “I’m not a cannibal! I’m not a cannibal!” Well, Ruel, that’s not true. Gulls will eat pretty damn near anything, including stuff with feathers. And baloney, come to think of it. Theyre tough, theyre scrappy, theyll chase other birds to steal whatever those birds are eating. Among the 40+ species of gulls, there are some pretty radical feeding habits. They can dig up marine worms and clams, catch and kill rabbits and rats, and eat things that are dead or dying, like fish or seals. Theyll eat grain and bugs and marine algae. They can catch mice or mussels and then drop them from high places onto rocks to break their shells or skulls. When gull populations are under stress, theyve even been known to eat their neighbors hatchlings. And a scientific report said that many of the adults ate the bodies of their own children when a storm killed hundreds of gull chicks.

One of the best things to happen to gulls, of course, is people. With people come garbage and french fries, which dont have to be dug up, chased, or killed. With practice, gulls have gotten good at finding things that are lost. They can now find a picnic basket hidden under a beach towel from six hundred yards away. It’s not clear why these gulls turned down your offer—fried chicken shouldn’t be scarier than dead rats or seals that have been gutted. A gull grabbed one of the little girl’s fuzzy slippers right off her foot, flew around with it for a while, then dropped it in the water and flew off. The neighbors took their little girl to the beach. If bedroom slippers look good enough to nibble on, you gotta figure anythings fair game.

If the dominant bird in the flock rejected your chicken snack, the others might do that too. If he was busy with the cookies when you put out your hand, it might have been a bad time. They don’t have a great sense of smell, but gulls are a little better than most, so the chicken might have smelled bad (to gulls), but it’s not likely. Based on everything, I think you threw away the chicken since not even a seagull would eat it. Heres something you might be interested in.

Seagulls are a common sight across coastal regions worldwide. With their loud calls and tendency to swoop in to steal food, they have developed a reputation for being pesky scavengers. But do seagulls really eat fish? Or do they prefer to steal french fries from unsuspecting beachgoers?

The answer is that seagulls do eat fish, but their diet consists of much more than just fish Seagulls are opportunistic omnivores that will eat almost anything they can get their beaks on Their diverse diet allows them to thrive in coastal habitats.

In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the varied diet of seagulls and explore how they are perfectly adapted to make the most of living by the sea.

An Overview of the Seagull Diet

Seagulls are omnivorous birds with a diverse diet. Fish makes up a major part of their diet, but seagulls also eat:

Crustaceans like crabs, shrimp and lobster
Mollusks such as clams, mussels, oysters, squid and octopus
Marine worms
Smaller birds
Eggs of other bird species
Insects
Rodents
Reptiles
Carrion from seals, whales and other animals
Seeds and berries
Human food waste

Seagulls are opportunistic feeders and will eat whatever is readily available. At the beach that often means stealing food from humans, but seagulls are just as resourceful when it comes to finding natural sources of food.

Their diverse diet allows seagulls to adapt to different food availabilities based on habitat, season and other changing conditions.

How Do Seagulls Catch and Eat Fish?

Fish makes up a major part of the diet of most seagull species. Their bodies are perfectly adapted for catching and eating fish:

Sharp vision – A seagull’s eyes are specially adapted to help them spot fish swimming near the surface of the water.
Hooked beak – A seagull’s beak has a slight hook at the end which helps them catch slippery fish and tear chunks of flesh.
Webbed feet – Webbed feet act as paddles, allowing seagulls to paddle across the surface of the water in pursuit of fish.
Waterproof feathers – Their feathers are coated in waterproof oils that allow seagulls to float on the water without getting waterlogged.

Seagulls use a variety of techniques to catch fish:

Plunge diving – Spotting a fish from the air, the seagull folds its wings back and plunges headfirst into the water to grab the fish in its beak.
Surface plunging – Floating on the surface of the water, the seagull thrusts its head underwater to catch fish swimming near the surface.
Food pirating – Seagulls will actively steal fish from other birds, humans and even from nets and fishing lines.

Once caught, seagulls either swallow small fish whole or fly back to land where they can tear larger fish into bite-sized chunks.

Do Seagulls Only Eat Fish They Catch Themselves?

While seagulls are well equipped to catch their own fish, they are equally happy to eat dead fish they come across. In fact seagulls are expert scavengers.

Seagulls have a high tolerance for eating carrion and spoiled meat. Their digestive systems have evolved to handle foods that would make other animals sick.

As scavengers, seagulls play an important role in the ecosystem by clearing away dead and decaying matter.

Seagulls commonly scavenge dead fish washed up on shorelines. They also actively hunt for fishery discards like unused bait and guts thrown overboard from fishing boats.

And of course, seagulls will readily eat fish harvestd by humans, either stolen directly from fishermen or taken from garbage cans and waste piles near docks and harbors.

What Adaptations Help Seagulls Eat a Diverse Diet?

Seagulls have evolved a number of adaptations that allow them to thrive as omnivorous scavengers:

Keen sense of smell – Seagulls have a good sense of smell which helps them find decaying animal matter like fish carcasses along shorelines.
Strong stomach acid – Their stomach acid is extra strong, allowing them to eat spoiled meat and fish without getting sick.
Powerful jaws – Powerful biting muscles in their jaws allow them to tear through tough foods like crab shells.
Adaptible metabolism – Seagulls can change their metabolic rate to make the most of available food sources, allowing them to survive seasonal changes in food availability.
Innate food-stealing skills – Seagulls seem to have an innate ability to steal food from other animals, including people. Their intelligence helps them take advantage of any easy meal opportunities.

These adaptations give seagulls flexibility in their diet. By opportunistically eating whatever is available, seagulls get the nutrients and energy they need despite seasonal changes and habitat variability.

What Do Seagulls Feed Their Chicks?

Adult seagulls have an incredibly varied diet, but chicks rely completely on their parents for their meals.

For the first few weeks after hatching, seagull chicks are fed by regurgitation. The parent birds swallow fish, insects and other prey, partially digest it, then return to the nest to regurgitate the food directly into the chicks’ mouths.

As the chicks grow, the parents start bringing whole foods like fish, shrimp and crabs for the chicks to eat on their own.

This premasticated diet allows the parent birds to provide their chicks with adequate nutrition in easy-to-swallow form. It’s an efficient way to ensure the chicks get the nourishment they need to fuel rapid growth.

Within 1-2 months, the chicks will fledge and start foraging to catch their own fish and other prey alongside their parents.

How Do Seagulls Survive in the Winter?

Seagulls are found across diverse climates from the arctic to the tropics. Many species cope with colder winter climates through seasonal migration, but some have adaptations to survive freezing winters.

Seagulls that overwinter in cold climates survive by switching up their diet and foraging strategies:

They eat more plant material like berries and seeds which remain abundant even when animal foods are scarce.
They forage in habitats less affected by winter like estuaries where some fish and invertebrates remain active.
They follow fishing boats to scavenge any discards.
They congregate at landfills and around human habitations to scavenge scraps.
Some species even switch from marine prey to foraging on land, eating rodents, earthworms and insects.

These flexible feeding behaviors allow seagulls to get enough to eat even during the scarcity of winter months.

Amazing Adaptations Make Seagulls Perfect Scavengers

Seagulls have evolved a range of adaptations that allow them to take advantage of a wide variety of food sources. Excellent eyesight helps them spot fish and floating carrion from the air. Hooked beaks allow them to catch slippery prey and tear through tough foods. And waterproof plumage lets them float on the surface in pursuit of underwater foods.

These adaptations make seagulls supremely well equipped to survive on an omnivorous scavenger diet. While fish makes up a major part of their diet, seagulls are definitely not limited to just eating fish. Their diverse palate allows them to thrive in coastal habitats worldwide.

So next time you’re enjoying some fish and chips at the beach, be wary of those circling seagulls overhead looking to snag a bite. While they love fresh fish, there’s no telling what food scraps they might try to steal right off your plate!

do seagulls eat fish

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Hey Matt:

— Ruel H., San Diego

Seagull swallows a fish

Do Seagulls eat fish?

Seagulls have a long bill that is hooked at the end, making them good at hunting and eating fish. Another adaptation that helps them get food is their ability to drink saltwater, one of few birds that can do this and survive. They can go rather far out to sea in search of food without dehydrating.

Are Seagulls omnivorous?

Seagulls are omnivorous birds that are highly effective scavengers and hunters. Seagulls eat fish, insects, reptiles, rodents, and many other types of foods. These omnivorous birds are highly effective scavengers and hunters.

Do Seagulls scavenge for food?

They are also known to scavenge for food in garbage cans and dumpsters. Seagulls can travel long distances to find food and are often seen following fishing boats or scavenging for food on beaches. Seagulls are adaptable birds and can survive in different habitats.

How much do Seagulls eat a day?

Seagulls eat around 20% of their body weight daily and need a high-fat and high-protein diet to maintain their dense muscles. Most gulls probably get weak without food in around just 24 hours or so. Seagulls are flexible eaters and will likely not struggle to find food whilst they are physically able to do so, however.