Herring Gull begging (1 Viewer)

Watched an imm Herring Gull begging for food from an adult a week or so back on the 26th Dec - don't know if it was actually successful in getting any regurgitated food due to distance and trying to get a few shots.

Thought this was a bit late and a bit surprised - I'd have thought any family groups would have broken up by then, apart from the fact the parents should have stopped feeding the young a long while back if they had any sense ...

Googled 'Herring Gulls begging' and a couple of blogs mentioned late feeding - one quoted 'adults can feed the young up to 6 months' and the other 'surprising how late some Herring Gulls feed their young' (late October - a gull ringing blog).

Just wondered what others' experience/the norm is/any gospel from scientific publications indicates?

Cheers.

Hi Dan
From BWP « Juveniles observed begging in chick-like manner as late as January (Holley 1970) or March (Lloyd 1945) of 1st winter, and even in 2nd autumn, 513 days after hatching (AJF Holley). » !!

Cheers

Richard

Richard Prior said:

Hi Dan
From BWP « Juveniles observed begging in chick-like manner as late as January (Holley 1970) or March (Lloyd 1945) of 1st winter, and even in 2nd autumn, 513 days after hatching (AJF Holley). » !!

Click to expand...

Cheers Richard, that is late! Although I guess it doesn't confirm that they were successful in gaining food? (I guess they must have been at least partly, otherwise they wouldn't have carried on with the behaviour?)

Anyway, looking at my pic again, realised it is actually of a rather young bird (recently fledged??), so not that unusual that it is begging ... although I guess that now begs the question of how late fledging can occur?

(Wikipedia states the breeding season as being April - June)

How old do we reckon this one is? Does BWP give dates for breeding?

I've seen 2nd winters begging too. Unsuccessfully, of course.

Of course adults courtship-feed too, and that looks and sounds just the same, so maybe the 2nd winters are just looking for a bit of food in exchange for under-age sex :eek!:

Yes, of course family groups broke up months ago, but some 1ws round here still beg from any passing adult, at least as late as the end of Jan. Adults now beginning to re-establish breeding territories so won't tolerate intruders of any age for long.