Gull with stone.

Little Firewall · #1 (**permalink**) 26-06-2009, 07:40 AM

Why would this gull carry such a big stone in it's beak? It eventually dropped it on the stones at the shore making quite a thud.

Tursiops2 · #2 (**permalink**) 26-06-2009, 08:07 AM

Interesting. I suspect it's actually carrying an oyster or similar large mollusc - gulls are known to drop these from a height to break them open, so they can feed on the contents.
T2

diggleken · #3 (**permalink**) 26-06-2009, 08:16 AM

T2 is right, its a common behaviour in gulls these days, at seaside locations - and other birds too, Hooded/Carrion Crows do it loads up there in Scotland - its a prolific way of getting food.
It is quite a skill and is often repeated by younger birds until they get the hang of it.
Lammergaier mimics!
If it was a stone, looking at the size, I think it would be bordering on too heavy even for a powerful herring gull.
In Somerset earlier this year, I watched Crows taking greater water snails, but they have weaker shells and could be opened by their strong beaks, sat up in a tree rather than needing to be dropped.
Cheers
Ken

Little Firewall · #4 (**permalink**) 26-06-2009, 09:51 AM

Thanks T2 and Ken for answering.

I had thought of it being a large crab or similar but I watched after it was dropped and the bird did not make any attempt to go back to the place where it landed. To me the 'thud' sounded a bit too heavy for it to be 'dinner' .... but then it might have been.