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April 26, 2023  |  By Matt Hamas

Herring Gull

Herring Gull Live

Herring Gull - IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

There are over twenty gull species in North America, but the herring gull is the most familiar to people

We’ve heard about how ravens and crows are intelligent and can even fashion tools. However, most people are not aware that herring gulls have also displayed tool use. There is a case where an adult herring gull was seen bait fishing. The seagull would deliberately drop bits of bread onto a pond containing goldfish. Then when the goldfish came to the surface to eat the bread crumbs, the herring gull would attack. The herring gull was not eating the bread, just using it to fish. 

Laughing Gull

There are over twenty gull species in North America, but the herring gull is the most familiar to people. As the name seagull implies, these birds can be found around large bodies of water. They are found year-round along the northeast coastline of the United States. They will winter from the Carolina’s south to Mexico. Additionally, they will winter along the western coastline of the United States. They primarily breed in Canada and parts of Alaska.  

Herring Gull Zoomed In

This predator is in the middle of swallowing a green crab. I was watching the herring gull hunt quarter-sized green crabs in about a foot of water along the shoreline at Salisbury Beach State Park in Massachusetts. The seagull would swim along, stopping abruptly to lunge upward, drop its head, and dive bill first into the water. A second later, the herring gull would surface and swallow the crab whole. 

Snowy Owl

Green crab predation is encouraged as this species of crab is actually a problematic species not originally from these waters. The species is native to the northeast Atlantic, but it is believed to have made its way over to the United States through ship bilge water. The green crabs are a threat to native New England clam species and other ecologically and economically important bivalves. Along the US Atlantic coast, green crabs are able to out-compete these native species. Green crabs have a high reproductive ability.  Additionally, they are able to tolerate a wide range of habitat. Fortunately, there are efforts being made to curb their impact. In parts of Italy, green crabs are considered a delicacy.  There is a cookbook called “The Green Crab Cookbook”. There is even a non-profit solely focused on the effort.  

Green crab predation is encouraged

Did you know?

  • In Canada, they call the green crab the “cockroach of the sea”.
  • Herring gulls are able to drink fresh water and salt water! They have special glands that can remove the salt from salt water.
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Matt Hamas and Ben Ivers here. We are focused on fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the environment. We endeavor to bring you a unique perspective of the wild. Our photos are being placed here for you to enjoy. Please feel free to download any of the photos for your personal use. We are currently seeking partners for printing and developing photos.

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