What are the main foods and natural enemies of seagulls?

The seagull is a seabird of very graceful form, and because the feathers on the underside of its body are very snow-white and crystal-clear, it is extremely endearing. Seagulls often appear in flocks near seashores and harbors where there are relatively many sea fish, sometimes circling in flight, sometimes swooping down to forage. When overwintering, they often appear in places with relatively high temperatures near Hainan Island, and during migration they are commonly seen in the northeastern provinces of our country. So what foods do seagulls mainly eat? What natural enemies do they have?

1. What foods do seagulls mainly eat?

Because seagulls are seabirds and like to appear near fishing grounds, they usually feed mainly on small fish and shrimp along the shore, crabs, shellfish, and food scraps discarded near fishing boats. Seagulls are also frequent visitors to wharves, ports, bays, ships, and the like, and will follow boats and other vessels docking at ports, because they know food will appear. In addition, seagulls also eat some insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and worms and grubs in cultivated land. Some large seagull species will also eat the chicks or eggs of other members of their own kind or of other birds.

2. What natural enemies do seagulls have?

The natural enemy of the seagull is a bird of the eagle family genus called the sea eagle. They are a very ancient kind of bird and often appear resting by the water. During migration periods, they are commonly seen in places such as high mountains and grasslands. The main foods of the sea eagle are various birds, fish, rodents, and so on, and it also eats some seaweed, carrion, and the like. So if a seagull is discovered by a sea eagle, it will become its delicious food. In terms of body size, the seagull is also no match for the sea eagle.

3. Why are seagulls called safety forecasters for maritime navigation?

When some ships sail on the sea, they often run aground or hit reefs because they are unfamiliar with the environment of that stretch of sea, or shipwreck accidents occur because of sudden changes in the weather. At such times, experienced sailors will judge how to navigate based on the movements of seagulls, so seagulls are called safety forecasters for maritime navigation.

When seagulls gather near rocks, hidden reefs, shoals, and the like and their voices are relatively noisy, this warns navigators that there will be a situation of hitting reefs nearby.

Seagulls have the habit of flying along ports. When sailing on the sea and losing direction due to smoke, following the flight direction of seagulls will generally lead one to find a port.

If seagulls fly close to the sea surface, it foretells clear weather, while if they keep wandering along the sea surface, it foretells that the weather will gradually worsen.

Seagulls can also foresee storms, because their bones are very peculiar, being hollow and tube-like, with no bone marrow, and filled with air. It is like a barometer and can sense changes in the weather.

The above is the answer to the questions of what foods seagulls mainly eat and what natural enemies they have. I hope it is helpful to you.