Gulls
Although they love to fish, Sea gulls have long been associated with
ocean coasts. However, several species have extended their ranges
significantly inland, with landfills and agricultural development being
the attractions. Sea gulls are mainly nuisance pests around harbors,
landfills, agricultural areas, and when begging for food. In addition,
they foul residential and commercial buildings and public areas with
their smelly droppings, and they account for 50% of documented
aircraft-bird strikes. Sea gulls are worldwide in distribution, but are
found mainly around sea coasts and large inland waterways. The Kelp or
Dominican gull lives on the Antarctic Peninsula and at most
sub-Antarctic islands, where it is resident year-round, generally in
small numbers. They are also broadly distributed throughout southern
Africa, Australasia and South America. A subspecies of the Kelp gull
(Larus dominicanus vetula) is found along the southern African
coastline. It is now considered sufficiently different from the
principal race to be regarded as a separate species.
» Habitat:Stream and river banks in the Tabonuco, Palm and Palo Colorado forest types.
» Discription: Depending on the species, adults about 11-30" (27.9-76.2 cm) long. Large, mainly white water birds with slightly hooked bill, long pointed wings, usually short fan-shaped tail, and webbed feet. swim and feed at water surface. Color mainly white with no brown plumage, head feathers vary seasonally from dirty white/brown to pure white/black, and tail whitish with no dark bars. Immature gulls often dirty white to brown.
» Wingspan: 3 to 4 feet
» Weight: 2 to 3 pounds
» Diet: Shellfish, invertebrates, fish, carrion
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