Herring Gulls behaving like Swallows (1 Viewer)

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Anon2020

Well-known member

• Aug 10, 2020

• #1

A short while ago this evening whilst in the kitchen preparing my evening meal I noticed some 40 - 50 Herring Gulls wheeling overhead in what I at first took to be a rather aimless fashion. After some observation however it appeared that they were in fact feeding on flying insects as they would momentarily pause in mid-flight and snap their beaks. This continued for about 30 minutes.

Has anyone else observed this behaviour in Herring Gulls?

 

PYRTLE

Old Berkshire Boy

• Aug 10, 2020

• #2

Never in Herring Gulls, but 2 other types recently (BH, Med). Was it fairly close to a coastal location?

 

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Anon2020

Well-known member

• Aug 10, 2020

• #3

Yes, about half a mile from the sea. The truth is I just assumed they were Herring Gulls as the are predominant in the area.

There are also Black Headed Gulls in the area but I’ve only seen them on the shore not the town outskirts where I live.

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• Aug 10, 2020

• #4

Yes, frequently, on these few hot summer days when ants are doing their mating flights - there's so many of them that even the clumsy aerial feeding rate for Herring Gulls becomes profitable. It's a bonanza for anything that can catch ants in mid-air.

 

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Anon2020

Well-known member

• Aug 10, 2020

• #5

Thanks for the replies

 

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aeshna5

Well-known member

• Aug 11, 2020

• #6

Yes, frequently see n this as Nutcracker describes around London.

 

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birdmeister

Well-known member

• Aug 11, 2020

• #7

Along the vein of birds imitating swallows, I once observed a Least Sandpiper wheeling with a flock of swallows low over the local reservoir. When the swallows rose over the trees, so did the sandpiper. It even made a small in-flight sally like any good swallow would!