What Do Seagulls Eat? Learn About Seagull’s Diet
If you are a birdwatcher like me then you must be interested in knowing what do seagulls eat.
Seagulls eat almost anything which includes fish, clams, crabs, and other marine creatures such as shrimp and mollusks. They are voracious hunters that will eat anything from dead animals washed up on the beach to live ones.
However, there are a lot of things included in the seagulls’ diet. Due to their Omnivore nature, seagulls also eat plants, seeds, grains, and other types of fruit. So, you can say that they are not just hunters but scavengers as well.
Let’s find out more about seagulls’ diet and see what do seagulls eat and what are the things they don’t like to eat.
Can seagulls eat anything?
Seagulls are like the vultures of land as they feed on anything available – dead or alive. However, most seagulls have a preference for raw meat and fish. They will eat anything from aquatic animals to plants.
However, the nearby human activity is what affects their diet most of the time. Humans contaminate their food sources by dumping garbage and fishing nets in the water. Fishing nets often catch other animals, which seals their fate.
Apart from such environmental hazards, seagulls can eat anything, seeds (including grains), plants, fruits, fish (alive or dead), small mammals like rabbits and rats, insects, and human food too! They will even eat the flesh of a dead animal, if available.
So, birds are not safe from seagulls either. They will happily eat small birds like sparrows and swallows, alive or dead.
And if they come across a weak or injured larger bird, say a duck or pigeon, they would have no problem in killing it by pecking its eyes out!
Will a seagull eat a squirrel?
Seagulls will eat squirrels too if they find one. However, this often depends on how hungry the seagull is.
If you are thinking about how do seagulls catch squirrels then you must know that animals like squirrels do not stand a chance against these birds. They can fly off to tree tops before the squirrel can even notice them.
So, if a seagull manages to see the squirrel in time, it will swoop down and kill it by pecking its eyes out. When the bird is full after eating other food sources, it may leave the squirrel alone.
However, if hungry enough or if there is more than one seagull around, then the squirrel will become easy prey for them.
What do seagulls eat in water?
Seagulls usually prefer hunting on land because it is easier for them to catch their food there. However, if they find an animal or a human drowning and flailing helplessly in the water, they will not think twice about flying down and eating it.
Actually, seagulls will go into the water for many reasons – to catch a fish or crab that they spotted from the shore, to bathe themselves, or even drink water.
However, if they find an injured animal in the water then you can be sure that they will eat it no matter how deep the water is.
Do Seagulls Eat Other Birds?
Generally, there are two types of seagulls – Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-Backed Gulls. The Herring gulls are native to North America, while the lesser black-backed gulls are from Europe.
The Herrings have a varied diet of fish, insects, crustaceans, rodents, and fruits, which makes them omnivores. They mostly live in coastal areas around the ocean, but they will readily colonize inland lakes and rivers.
The Lesser Black-backed gulls are small compared to the herring gulls, about 18 inches tall. They are also found in coastal areas around the sea. They feed on invertebrates like worms, mollusks, and crustaceans which include crabs and lobsters.
Do seagulls eat baby ducks?
In fact, seagulls have been recorded practicing infanticide! Yes, they will peck the baby duck’s eyes out if it is too weak to move.
However, as far as eating them is concerned – seagulls eat a variety of foods, so they do not discriminate between chicks and adult animals. This means that seagulls do eat baby ducks.
Why you shouldn’t feed seagulls?
First of all, birds like seagulls are wild animals. They have a strong urge to hunt and eat raw meat. This makes them scary as they will not think twice before attacking a human or another animal for food.
And if you feed seagulls by providing them food, then you are helping them break their natural hunting instincts. Since seagulls are omnivores, they will start looking for easy to get food like human food in our cities and garbage bins.
This is why seagulls often create nuisance in urban areas, which sometimes leads to conflict with humans. They can carry diseases too if they eat raw meat or dead animals.
It is best to not feed seagulls by any means.
Can seagulls eat bananas?
Yes, seagulls will eat bananas. These birds are omnivores and can eat anything they can catch or find including fruits like apples, grapes, plums, berries, pears, etc.
The only thing you must remember is that if the fruit you are feeding to them is not ripe yet then it could cause illness.
What food is toxic to seagulls?
There isn’t a food that is toxic for seagulls, but if they eat rotten or decaying meats then it could cause illness in them.
Also, seagulls should not be fed sugary foods like candies and chocolates because it could lead to obesity and other health issues.
So, what can we do to keep seagulls away? The important thing is to keep your food and trash well covered and in a safe place where they cannot get to them.
Also, install bird feeders and make sure they are not hanging low to the ground.
How do seagulls hunt?
Seagulls are excellent hunters in the air and sea. They have keen eyesight and can spot their prey from miles away in waves or on land.
Since they are black-backed gulls, they cannot hunt at night. This means that when darkness falls, their hunting becomes difficult and they find it hard to detect potential prey in the dark.
However, when there is light around them like in foggy days etc., then seagulls can easily spot small animals hiding on land or in the sea.
Once they spot their prey, they quickly fly down and catch it with their claws.
Frequently Asked uestions
Seagulls can eat peanut butter, but you must only feed them natural peanut butter without any added salt or sugar. This is because seagulls should not eat too much salt and sugar.
Yes, seagulls can eat rice provided that it is cooked thoroughly. Seagulls are omnivores and they eat anything including meat.
Yes, seagulls eat dog biscuits sometimes. However, most of the time they prefer their natural diet which includes insects and small animals.
Seagulls can eat bread. But it is best not to feed them bread as it cannot provide them with all the nutrients that they need.
Yes, seagulls can eat popcorn.
Seagulls can drink fresh water if they want to. But since the main part of their diet is fish, they do not drink much water.
Seagulls do not eat eggs unless it is their nesting season.
Yes, seagulls can eat bird seed. However, they prefer their natural diet which is fish and weeds.
Seagulls are omnivores that means they can eat any kind of food including meat. However, most of the time seagulls only feed on small animals like insects.
Yes, seagulls can eat strawberries. However, they do not like to feed on fresh strawberries and prefer the ones that are already ripe.
Final Thoughts
Seagulls eat what they can find, and if you are a part of their food source then do not blame them for looking at you as a meal. Try to be careful around these birds because they will think nothing before attacking a human or another animal.
Do not feed them or leave food outside your house. You should not feed seagulls because this will only encourage them to create nuisance in urban areas, which could lead to conflict with humans.
There are many ways you can discourage seagulls from coming near your home without hurting any animal – by using natural methods like using a water gun, or by installing fake owls on the roof.
Do seagulls eat other birds? Yes, they do. Seagulls are omnivores and will eat anything they can catch or find including baby ducks. It is best to not feed seagulls by any means to prevent conflict with humans in urban areas.
