When we talk about seagulls, many times we think of the invasive nature of everything around them. In fact, a large part of the population doubts whether it is an animal friend or enemy of the human being. Gulls are birds that belong to the order Charadriiformes, within the family Laridae and the suborder Lari. They are omnivorous birds, but they are mostly classified as carnivorous, since they base their diet on live food or, if not, they snatch it opportunistically. Next, in this article on our site we are going to explain some curiosities about seagulls that you may not know.
There are more than 50 species
Have you ever wondered how many types of seagulls there are? Today there are 10 different genera of seagulls and up to more than 50 different species. They are seabirds that can be medium or large in size, from 29 to 79 centimeters. We also see it in weight, since some can weigh as little as 120 grams and others up to 1.75 kg.
Among the more than 50 types of seagulls that exist, we can find:
- Pacific Gull (Larus pacificus).
- The Squacco Gull (Larus atlanticus).
- The White-eyed Gull (Ichthyaetus leucophthalmus).
- The Black-headed Gull (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus).
- The Southern Gull (Leucophaeus scoresbii).
- Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan).
- The Andean gull (Chroicocephalus serranus).
- The Maori Gull (Chroicocephalus bulleri).
- The Lesser Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus).
- The Short-billed Gull (Rissa brevirostris).
They have a strong character
It is commonly known that seagulls can become, to say the least, aggressive towards humans. But not only that, but they are also able to attack live whales in order to feed themselves. What they do is jump on them when they come out to breathe, attacking them to tear pieces of meat from their backs. It should also be noted that seagulls are intelligent, since they use pieces of bread as bait to feed on fish.
They can't fly without air
The vast majority of seagulls cannot fly if there is no wind. This is due to one of its most outstanding physical characteristics: its plumage. The great thickness of their plumage does not allow them to take flight without the aid of air, just as it does not allow them to dive into the water. Even so, they are perfect gliders and have great agility during flight. They can also move through the water with ease thanks to their feet with webbed webbed toes.
Seagulls change their plumage when they go from hatchlings to adults, and the largest species take up to 4 years to reach full plumage. In this way, when they are young, the plumage is gray and, when they have reached adulthood, it is white.
They drink fresh water and s alt water
Sea water is considered hypertonic, so if any living being consumes it in excess it could cause death or, at least, problems in the functioning of the organism. This is because sea water contains more s alt than our body can take advantage of. In the case of seagulls, they can ingest s altwater directly or through the animals they eat, since they will later eliminate it by crying.
You can cry
Although it may seem unbelievable, another of the curiosities of seagulls is that they can cry. As we have explained, seagulls can drink both s alt water and fresh water. In this way, a method to eliminate the s alty water that they have ingested is through tears. Thanks to the s alt glands located in the upper part of each eye, they get rid of excess s alt in their body. Tears are white because of the large amount of s alt they expel.
They are monogamous
Seagulls are more romantic than they seem. These are monogamous birds that mate for life with the same partner. In fact, although during the year they are not always together, when the breeding season arrives they call to rejoin In addition to this, seagulls are traditional animals, so they always return to the same nesting place to lay eggs. In order to meet again, they do so through their peculiar communication and sounds.
They are a plague
Seagulls are not only seabirds, but have also become birds that inhabit ports and cities, for example. It is for this reason that seagulls are now considered a pest. Any building is susceptible to being colonized by seagulls, since, although they are migratory birds, they have managed to adapt perfectly to the environmental characteristics that surround them. In addition, this large presence of seagulls in cities also poses a risk to the he alth of citizens.
If you want to know more information about migratory birds, don't hesitate to read this article that we recommend.
They are a symbol of freedom
Seeing a seagull flying is nothing strange. They are present in our day to day life, but they have more freedom than us to move, since they constantly fly over us. This fact of being able to choose between land, sea or air, is what makes them a symbol of freedom before humans. On the other hand, seagulls also represent ingenuity and adaptability, since, as we have explained, they are capable of shaping their behavior in response to the conditions that arise.
They are communicative birds
Surely more than once it has crossed your mind why seagulls scream at night and that the sound of seagulls is one of the great curiosities that characterizes them. These are intelligent birds that have one of the most complex communication systems, from when the chicks are about to hatch to courting when the female is ready. After all, when seagulls screech it is because they are trying to defend their territory, since they are very protective of their space.
You may also find interesting this other post on our site about The most curious courtship rituals of animals.
They have few predators
Seagulls should not be frightened by their predators, since they are few. Gulls' predators are often birds of prey, which are top predators and relentless hunters. Still, foxes, coyotes, and raccoons can be used to ward off seagulls. If you want to know more information about Birds of Prey, do not hesitate to visit this other article.
