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predatory gulls



So far the list of prey the opportunistic GBBG has been seen taking consists
of:

Coot-5
Black Duck-1
Mallard-1
LAGU-(laughing gull)-1
small duck (teal?)-1
Puffin-1
Purple Gallinule (in NJ, of all places)-1
Bufflehead-1?
Royal Tern-1

Also, Herring Gulls attempting to take a Saw-whet Owl, below:

------------------------------------------
JSR

During my tenure at the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory, we started the
waterbird count one morning to discover a Saw-Whet Owl sitting on an ice
floe floating in Lake Superior, surrounded by a ring of Herring Gulls. As
with the coot, these gulls attacked whenever the owl flew, but settled
down when it landed. The ice floe eventually drifted out of sight,
hopefully carrying the owl to the far shore and safety...

-----------------------------------------

I doubt that that owl  made it across to safety, but who knows.

I've seen a GBBG attack a Short-eared Owl.  The owl seemed healthy and
alert, and as the attack only lasted a few minutes, it appeared as though
the GBBG was "testing" the owl.

Thanks to all,

Greg

--
Greg Dodge
Durham, NC
http://www.brownbagproductions.com