sea gulls paddling for worms

[STYRBJORN]

I have often seen our resident herring gulls in rainy weather "paddling" on grassy areas to bring worms to the surface, worms being notoriously gullible.
Is this behaviour instinctive, whatever that means, or is it learned, like blue tits learning to peck through milk bottle tops? The tit behaviour was obviously a learned response to an artificial situation, while the paddling behaviour is "natural" but why would a seabird acquire such behaviour? It seems to me that it would only give a tiny adaptive advantage since earthworms are surely not a major dietetic element for most gulls.

Any ideas?

Ric

[htcdude]

I've seen a number of different birds of different sorts do this, stamping on the ground to get worms and things up to the surface. Quite funny watching them

Nige

[nikolai_avenger]

Alright yowth.

First thing that springs to mind here is that gulls are not necessarily 'seabirds'. Did you not you see QI the other night.

Cheers. Nik.

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by nikolai_avenger

Alright yowth.

First thing that springs to mind here is that gulls are not necessarily 'seabirds'. Did you not you see QI the other night.

Cheers. Nik.

Think I've seen that one before

But you're right, I mean Common Gulls don't have their name because there's lots of them

Nige

[STYRBJORN]

Originally Posted by htcdude

I've seen a number of different birds of different sorts do this, stamping on the ground to get worms and things up to the surface. Quite funny watching them

Nige

I've seen it in other spp as well. They look almost as though they're dancing.
Just seemed odd in a sea bird, but I suppose they are coastal dwellers. I wonder if they do it in sand when the tide's out? After a big ragworm L. terrestris would be a
doddle!

Ric

[faz]

i have seen local herring gulls doing this on grass verges and traffic islands fishing for worms is what we call it

[htcdude]

Most of the time I've seen it they've been Black-headed Gulls (with brown heads ) and they've been in fields. Only seen them doing it on the coast on TV

Nige

[2dogs2000]

I have seen this behaviour on the school playing field and was able to explain to a few children what the gull was doing.