gull diet question

[ronbco]

I was out hunting for redpolls at Pella Crossing. No luck.

But as I was watching some gulls I was amazed that they were landing in a small Russian Olive tree to eat the fruit.

I had no idea they would be able to land and perch in a tree, much less that they had interest in olives!

Is this likely to be a specific species of gull?

 

Ron Bolton

Berthoud

 

 

[DAVID A LEATHERMAN]

Ron et al,
This is a very interesting observation.  I would guess that they were Ring-bills, but that olive consumption is not necessarily unique to that species.  Gulls seem to be fairly omnivorous.  My buddy sent me pics last week of Herring Gulls getting rats in Salem, Massachusetts harbor as the water rose with Storm Sandy and the rats were seeking new digs.  All gulls love dumps and who knows what all they find there?  Russian olives (the pulp, that is) reminds me of mild watermelon.  Many, many birds eat the fruit, some for the pulp, some for the pit, from Yellow-rumped Warblers to sapsuckers to, now, gulls.  Thanks for your post.

Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins

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Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2012 15:51:03 -0800
From: rr.b...@yahoo.com
To: cob...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [cobirds] gull diet question

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