What do gulls eat?

[shewhomust]

A scientific project set out to crowdsource the answer to this question, and discovered, to no-one's surprise, that it would be quicker to ask "What don't gulls eat?" In fact, if there is a surprise in its findings, it is that for all the starfish and profiteroles and rubber sealant from the observer's car windscreen, the most important food item for gulls is earthworms.

Full story in The Guardian, which also has a wonderful but appalling picture gallery: seriously, not for the squeamish.

Comments

[sovay]

In fact, if there is a surprise in its findings, it is that for all the starfish and profiteroles and rubber sealant from the observer's car windscreen, the most important food item for gulls is earthworms.

I would indeed not have expected earthworms to be so important to seagulls!

The nutritional value of the windscreen sealant seems minimal, but I am entertained.

[shewhomust]

... but I am entertained.

Then my work here is done.

[cmcmck]

It might explain why gulls so often follow the plough.

[shewhomust]

Oh, good point! They do, don't they?

[anef]

Earthworms! Who knew?

[shewhomust]

Well, as cmcmck points out, once you think of it, it's obvious!