The gulls have a worldwide distribution — they can be found on any beach. They are very good at diving and catching fish. Seagulls have a contrasting coloration: they are white with black spots clearly visible on the head and wing tips. The birds have a plumage that is almost entirely white. The black bars on the back are a form of camouflage.
These birds have waterproof plumage, long and wide wings and a short tail. Their straight bill is slightly curved at the end to hold slippery fish. Seagulls have webbed feet with membranes that are very similar to flippers, which helps the birds to swim with great ease.
Seagulls live wherever there is a sea, and some species of gulls live near rivers and fresh water. When winter comes, most gulls migrate to warmer climes, but some stay in cities. Although these birds are noisy and steal food, in many countries they are valued as scavengers who clean the beaches.
Seagulls feed on fish that they catch in the water, and they can circle for hours in search of prey. In addition, they eat shellfish, crabs and jellyfish, which are found on the shore. To eat the mollusk, the seagull rises high into the sky and throws a stone on the shell to open it.
These birds adapt very well to any habitat, and they are not afraid of people. Seagulls live in noisy colonies, family groups that consist of couples with their offspring. From morning to night, seagulls, either alone or in flocks, forage to get food. By night, the whole flock leaves the feeding place and goes to spend the night in a place that is inaccessible to predators and sheltered from the wind. If the colony spots danger, then all the birds fly up, scream very loudly and release droppings on the disturber of the peace.
Seagulls construct nests from various garbage, the female lays from one to three eggs. Males and females take turns incubating the clutch for three to four weeks. Gull chicks are very voracious: they eat five times a day. Both females and males feed them. Already after 10–12 days, they can walk, and after 40 days, the chicks begin to fly. Seagulls live from 15 to 20 years.
These birds have waterproof plumage, long and wide wings and a short tail. Their straight bill is slightly curved at the end to hold slippery fish. Seagulls have webbed feet with membranes that are very similar to flippers, which helps the birds to swim with great ease.
Seagulls live wherever there is a sea, and some species of gulls live near rivers and fresh water. When winter comes, most gulls migrate to warmer climes, but some stay in cities. Although these birds are noisy and steal food, in many countries they are valued as scavengers who clean the beaches.
Seagulls feed on fish that they catch in the water, and they can circle for hours in search of prey. In addition, they eat shellfish, crabs and jellyfish, which are found on the shore. To eat the mollusk, the seagull rises high into the sky and throws a stone on the shell to open it.
These birds adapt very well to any habitat, and they are not afraid of people. Seagulls live in noisy colonies, family groups that consist of couples with their offspring. From morning to night, seagulls, either alone or in flocks, forage to get food. By night, the whole flock leaves the feeding place and goes to spend the night in a place that is inaccessible to predators and sheltered from the wind. If the colony spots danger, then all the birds fly up, scream very loudly and release droppings on the disturber of the peace.
Seagulls construct nests from various garbage, the female lays from one to three eggs. Males and females take turns incubating the clutch for three to four weeks. Gull chicks are very voracious: they eat five times a day. Both females and males feed them. Already after 10–12 days, they can walk, and after 40 days, the chicks begin to fly. Seagulls live from 15 to 20 years.
