Gull

Gulls are typically medium to large birds, usually grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They typically have harsh wailing or squawking calls; stout, longish bills; and webbed feet. Most gulls are ground-nesting carnivores which take live food or scavenge opportunistically. Live food often includes crabs and small fish. Gulls have unhinging jaws which allow them to consume large prey. Gulls are typically coastal or inland species, rarely venturing far out to sea.

Gulls nest in large, densely packed, noisy colonies. They lay two or three speckled eggs in nests composed of vegetation. The young are born with dark mottled down and mobile upon hatching. Gulls are resourceful, inquisitive, and intelligent,  demonstrating complex methods of communication and a highly developed social structure. For example, many gull colonies display mobbing behaviour, attacking and harassing predators and other intruders. Gulls have occasionally exhibited tool-use behaviour, using pieces of bread as bait with which to catch small fish, for example. Gulls have learned to coexist successfully with humans and have thrived in human habitats, though some rely on stealing the food of both humans and animals. Gulls have been observed preying on live whales, landing on the whale as it surfaces to peck out pieces of flesh.