As dinner parties go, this will not be the most aesthetic that you’ve ever seen, but take a look at this Instagram post anyway. It gives you a glorious, up-close view of a Western gull (probably the father) feeding its family of little chicks. The footage was shot at La Jolla Cove, California. Read on to discover more about this wonderful bird’s feeding and breeding behavior.
Western Gull Diet and Behavior
Western gulls (Larus occidentalis) are among the primary gull species nesting along much of the Pacific coast of the US. They are present year-round along the coast, with some nonbreeding individuals found as far north as southern British Columbia and as far south as southern Baja California. However, they are very rarely found inland. You will spot them in the open ocean as well as along coasts and shorelines. They are comfortable around landfills and urban and suburban habitats. These gulls are around the size of a herring gull (24 to 27 inches) but have a bulkier build. The adults have black/grey backs and wings with white breasts. The coloring of their plumage varies by location.
When it comes to diet, they mainly eat fish and other marine animals (including crabs, squid, and sea urchins). They also eat carrion (including dead sea lion pups), eggs, and whatever they can find in refuse and on landfills! Western gulls forage for their food while they are walking on shore or floating on the sea. Occasionally, they plunge into the water to grab a fish if they spot one.
Nesting and Rearing Chicks
Both male and female Western gulls feed the chicks.
©aseppa/ via Getty Images
Western gulls nest in colonies, and the nests are built on the ground or on cliff ledges. The nest is built by both parents in a small depression and lined with grass and other vegetation. The clip shows three chicks in the nest, which is typical. Very rarely, you may see up to six chicks in a nest, which occurs when two females have laid eggs in the same nest.
Both parents take part in incubation duties (although the female tends to do more), and the eggs hatch in 25-29 days. Then, both Mom and Dad are responsible for feeding chicks by regurgitating food that they have swallowed while out foraging. Gulls find it quite easy to do this by bobbing their heads and stretching their necks. This may look the same as vomiting in mammals, but it is not. The food is not in the stomach but has been stored in the crop – a food storage organ located in the lower neck. The regurgitated fish is whole and must be broken open by the parent so the chicks can access the softer flesh and organs. By around 6-7 weeks of age, the chicks can fly and start to forage for themselves, but the parents may continue to feed them for some time afterward.
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