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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Great Black-Backed Gulls (1 Viewer)

Scuba - it seemed to be trying to rob the gannet in the same way Great Skua do. There are, however, a lot of active GBBG nests in the area I took the photo so there may be something territorial going on.

Himalaya - it looks that way in the photograph but the gannet does have a bigger wingspan than GBBG - although there is not much in it between a small gannet and a large GBBG.
 
 
Thought I'd post here and just mention that GBBG's are my absolute favourite gulls alongside Glaucous Gulls, the only bird I know of that will frighten the GBBG is the Gyrfalcon who have been known to catch them even! Now THAT is impressive! GBBGs are feared by all except the Gyr.
 
Articuno said:
Thought I'd post here and just mention that GBBG's are my absolute favourite gulls alongside Glaucous Gulls, the only bird I know of that will frighten the GBBG is the Gyrfalcon who have been known to catch them even! Now THAT is impressive! GBBGs are feared by all except the Gyr.
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Where did you hear that, about Gyr Falcons catching GBBGs? I find it slightly hard to believe but I'm willing to be corrected. I've seen lots of Gyrs and lots of GBBGs and they generally give each other a wide berth. I did see a Gyr with prey being mobbed by 40-50 GBBGs last year and the Gyr very impressively, and agaainst my expectations, held its own and kept hold of its prey. I've seen Gyrs with bigger prey than themselves (geese) before but I'd be surprised if Gyrs actually hunted GBBGs.
 
gryfalcons have caught them but its usually by fluke or if the gbb gull is yng or weak

gryfalcons predate on gbb gulls like great skuas but i think a healthy adult is just a bit to much to kill
 
GBBG's have featured in the diet of Peregrines. GyrFalcons have been known to predate Glaucous Gulls which are only slightly smaller than GBBG's.

By the way what do Glaucous Gulls hunt?
 
Edward said:
Where did you hear that, about Gyr Falcons catching GBBGs? I find it slightly hard to believe but I'm willing to be corrected. I've seen lots of Gyrs and lots of GBBGs and they generally give each other a wide berth. I did see a Gyr with prey being mobbed by 40-50 GBBGs last year and the Gyr very impressively, and agaainst my expectations, held its own and kept hold of its prey. I've seen Gyrs with bigger prey than themselves (geese) before but I'd be surprised if Gyrs actually hunted GBBGs.
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Was doing some research on the internet for GBBGs a while back and came across quite a few photos of dead ones under the claws of Gyrfalcons, bit more research and I found it's not exactly rare, adults included by the way, could have been sick or weak but no reason why they couldn't be healthy either.
 
Excellent footage on Springwatch of a GBB Gull capturing a Manx Shearwater and waiting outside a rabbit burrow and then grabbing one in its beak. It managed to fly off with the rabbit.

On the other hand one puffin actually stood up to a GBB Gull very boldly! That was amazing!
 
I was walking on the beach here the other day and saw an interesting thing. A southern black-backed gull was chasing a Caspian tern. They ducked and dived as the tern tried to escape. The funny thing was at one point the tern out maneuvered the gull, and for a few seconds it was the one doing the chasing and the gull doing the fleeing. Then I guess they both figured out that it was the wrong way about things, and the chase of "gull on tern" resumed. The whole thing lasted for I guess 2-3 minutes before eventually they went their separate ways. Wished I could have filmed it.
 
Himalaya said:
no problem! was a pleasure looking at them all.
I did'nt know G B B Gulls could capture rabbits....how on earth could that be possible?
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On some rabbit warrens inland in Norfolk the Herring Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and the occasional Great Black-backed Gulls will roost, and during the day may hunt rabbits. See, for example Bridgham Warren (attached); the warren lies in the triangle at the Bridgham Road junction with the A11.
MJB
 

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MJB said:
On some rabbit warrens inland in Norfolk the Herring Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and the occasional Great Black-backed Gulls will roost, and during the day may hunt rabbits. See, for example Bridgham Warren (attached); the warren lies in the triangle at the Bridgham Road junction with the A11.
MJB
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I have seen footage over the last year of GBBG's hunting rabbits. Just missed on attacking and killing a Moorhen in December.
 
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