Do seagulls dine on song birds?

[KCFoggin]

I watched from my office window this morning a laughing gull that was circling the top of a tree I knew contained a nest of baby mockingbirds. This went on for 15 minutes and then it actually tried to land on the top of the tree but the branch was too thin to support its weight. Then the mockers came out and started attacking the seagull. Seagull left only to return a couple of hours later to circle the tree again. Question. Do they eat baby birds?

[Michael Frankis]

They certainly would if they could get them. But as you found out, they're not too well designed for working their way through trees. I'd also suspect a Mocker's defence routine (from what I've heard about them!) might be a bit much punishment for a gull to take willingly

Michael

[KCFoggin]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised after seeing a video of a great bb gull snatch a puffin out of the air. I had just never witnessed this before in the gulls. Thanks Michael.

[walwyn]

A local park (Daventry Country Park) has alarge feeder reservoir for the canal system (Oxford, Grand Union). Each year there are Common Tern that breed on the floating pontoons.

A couple of years ago there was a "murder in the park" when a Gull (species not given - probably Black Headed) got too near to the nest. Parent Tern aparently dive bombed the Gull stabbing it through the back of its head and killing it stone dead. Reports of numerous upset children.

[KCFoggin]

Ouch, I can well imagine about the upset children if they witnessed this. I know it is nature at it rawest but it is still nature. I guess sometimes hard to take.

[seb_seb]

ive never known this so ill ask>>>>

Do all birds of prey eat eggs and chicks off birds?

ive always though of birds such as kestrel and sparrowhawk as being more active..only taking lively prey that they chase and kill.

[steve_nova]

I've read somewhere of a Raven, C. corax killing a Golden Eagle of all things. Now if I remember correctly there were two ravens that seemed to work together distracting the grounded eagle in turn. Each time the eagle turned to face the other bird, it's partner in crime jumped in quickly to pull a feather. This went on apparently till one of the ravens saw it's murderous chance and leapt in, smashing the back of the eagles skull and of course, killing it.

[steve_nova]

seb seb, I'm really only guessing here but if any of our birds of prey did, the only one that may do would possibly be the Buzzard which as you suggest also, is more of a generalist feeder than the specialised Sparrow Hawk or falcons.

If you are including the Owls, then the Tawny Owl will take chicks from a nest (don't know about the eggs though)

[StevieEvans]

We remember seeing adult Herring Gulls, taking juvenile Jackdaws out of their chimney pot nests, many Jackdaws were nesting in the area as mains gas had only just recently been supplied to the village, & suddenly there was a mass of chimneypots to chose from.

At the same time , i was told of an accurate account of Jackdaws attacking & killing House Martins when they landed at a muddy puddle.....

S

[Michael Frankis]

And then again, I've read of Bonxies [Great Skuas] flying up to Herring Gulls, and even Great Black-back Gulls, in mid-air, bash them on the back of the head, knock them down into the sea, drown them and eat them.

Eat or be eaten!

Michael

[StevieEvans]

Michael , you'd have to be brave to take on a Bonxie,
but, How Brave would you have to be to pretend to be a farmyard animal (fieldcraft) to get close to a bird...?;)

[KCFoggin]

Well, I happen to dress for the area I am going to be in. If it is the swashes, then I am dressed in similar colors of the mud and the same goes for when I am in the wetlands, I usually dress in colors reminiscent of swamp grasses.

[Andrew]

In Guernsey I watched a male Shelduck tirelessly having to chase off Lesser Black-backed Gulls from his young chicks. The gulls just kept swooping in after them, the chicks dropped from ten to eight during the fortnight I was there.

[Johnny1]

I've never seen a gull take a song bird but I have seen great black backed gulls attack and kill teal, I also once watched 2 carrion crows hunt down a redshank, it took about 5 minutes of being harrassed and pecked at before it grew too weak to avoid them any more.

[StevieEvans]

Mute Swan predated by Cow...... it sat on it!

S.

[Malvolio]

Andrew wrote:

"In Guernsey ..., the chicks dropped from eight to ten during the fortnight I was there."

I knew some dodgy accountancy went on in the Channel Islands but not on this scale....

MV

[Andrew]

Thanks for pointing it out MV, I have duly corrected it! Wishful accountancy!