Feeding habits of black-headed gull

[agrumpycow]

We went for an evening stroll down the Thames last night; say a family of Egyptian Geese, the goslings must have only been less than a week old (forgot the camera naturally , cormorants, red kites, reed buntings amongst others.
What caught our eye was a black-headed gull seeming to be feeding on the wing catching flies like a swallow.
That kind of behaviour from a b-h g was new to us, do they usually feed like that?

[mrs fish]

Gulls do like insects I have seen them eating May-June bugs from off the tops of trees

[agrumpycow]

Originally Posted by mrs fish

Gulls do like insects I have seen them eating May-June bugs from off the tops of trees

Thanks for the reply,
I know they ate insects, it was the way they were doing it, swallow-like, that intrigued me

[spoonbillcourt]

I have seen BHG's feeding on flying Ants and saw a flock sitting on the sea feeding on Migrant Hoverflies. It was a hot day and the birds just raised their bills and snapped at the low flying insects. When BHG's feed on ants in the air they circle the sawrm and seem to herd them into te inner circle where they swoop and gulp them Swallow (Bird) like. I am sure that the British Birds magazine Website index has a piece on this behaviour.

[aeshna5]

Flying ants are a feast for so many birds-gulls , including the larger species, regularly swoop up feasting on them. I've watched Kestrels + Hobbies over my garden doing this too. Also seen gulls swooping low over water for a hatch of midges.

[spoonbillcourt]

What I like about this site is that we study behaviour as well as being interested in Rarities. I bet if this site was a magazine it would beat BB hands down for studies of common and rare birds.
SBC