T. Keith Bruce
Keen Photographer and Bird Novice.
I was quite surprised today by the action of a group of gulls who carried out a vicious attack on a guillemot. Initially, one gull was floating beside the guillemot and taking very little notice of it. As the two got nearer and nearer the gull suddenly started to peck at the guillemot who began to peck back but soon retreated from the bigger bird to about six feet away. The gull then swam alongside the guillemot and started a frenzied attack on the poor bird. As this attack carried on several other gulls started to take an interest and then joined in individually with the onslaught. During this attack I counted 12 different gulls having a go at the guillemot who inevitably died of its wounds after a brave attempt to stave off his assailants. Strangely, the guillemot never tried to fly away. The poor bird was left for dead, floating upside down and in time the gulls lost interest and flew away. Could this have been a case of bullying, killing off a weak bird, inter-species dislike or just normal bird behaviour. Not an action I have ever witnessed before, nor do I want too again.