American Herring Gull (smithsonianus)

(last update: October 30, 2015)

Coordinators:
Amar Ayyash (US)
Bruce Mactavish (Canada)
Dave Brown (Canada)
Mars Muusse (Netherlands)

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) adult, January 08 2013, Searsport, Maine, USA. Picture: Jim McCree.

Jim wrote: At low tide, the gulls grab mussels, fly 50 feet in the air and drop them to the rocks below to break them open and feast. The gull must follow the dropped shell quickly to the ground or he will lose it to another hungry competitor.