Talk:Gull

Does anyone have information on the average size of the common sea gull, in terms of wingspan?

I recently have heard that the "sea gull" gets its name because it was "gullible" and easy to catch by sailors, who would feed the birds, and then catch them for dinner. Or did the word "gullible" come from the birds? (Oct.)

Gull, the bird, comes from the Welsh "gwylan". Any connection with gullible cannot be proved, especially as a very similar Norse word, meaning "yellow", refers to unfledged birds. jimfbleak 05:27, 4 October 2005 (UTC)

which species?

Which exact species of seagull would I find in Toronto? Is it just one, or would it be several? What about New Brunswick?--Sonjaaa 18:13, 17 April 2006 (UTC)

Hi Sonjaaa - Though someone watching this talk page may see and answer your question, Your best bet would be to post the same question in one of Wikipedia's Reference Desk categories... either Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Science or Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Miscellaneous. I hope this helps! --AbsolutDan ^(talk) 21:08, 17 April 2006 (UTC)

Do Seagulls eat meat?

Would seagulls eat a dead swan or other large bird? thanks for your help !

As I mentioned to Sonjaaa above, though someone watching this talk page may see and answer your question, your best bet would be to post the same question in one of Wikipedia's Reference Desk categories... either Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Science or Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Miscellaneous. --AbsolutDan ^(talk) 16:46, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

depends - some species like kittiwake only eat live fish, others like Ivory Gull will even feed on whale and porpoise carcasses jimfbleak 19:34, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

Gulls will eat just about anything organic if they're hungry enough in any way so they eat a lot totally. They seem to prefer human food where it's available though. --Kurt Shaped Box 20:24, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

It's certainly true that many gull species will eat anything reasonably easy to consume, such as human scraps, but most will not feed at large carcasses, if only because, unlike vultures and crows, they are not equiped to do so (the exception is Ivory Gull). I have never seen specialised species such as kittiwakes or Little Gulls come to scraps. jimfbleak 05:14, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

I've seen herring gulls and great black-backed gulls feeding on sheep carcasses before. There was also a dead porpoise that washed up on the beach here, which the gulls were all over until it was removed. They'll also have a go at the occasional human carcass that washes up too. Their beaks are definitely sharp enough to tear away pieces of dead meat - I once saw a herring gull eating big chunks from a palette of old, rancid cow hides at my local harbor. Perhaps I *was* generalizing when I said that 'gulls' will eat anything organic - but the gulls I am familiar with most certainly will. --Kurt Shaped Box 06:21, 1 May 2006 (UTC)

The gulls in Seattle eat everything. Once I seen a gull swoop down to the city street and swallow whole a chicken leg bone a human had dropped. Then it looked at me and made an embarrassed gesture before it flew. Once I fed them some jalepeno potato chips and the gull started to pant, just like a human. Perhaps they ultimately prefer fresh Salmon carcus over everything

In iceland they hang around Macdondals and eat leftovers hambugers

Gull problem

I don't know why but i seem to think that gulls are just so weird thats its scary. not that im being gull racist but its just something i have a bad felling about...Plus I work out at a golf corse and the gulls will tear up the grass and make it fell your plying pinball when your putting.--Kunz506 21:36, 29 November 2006 (UTC)Kunz506

Image help

What kind of gull am I?

I took a picture of a baby gull today, but I have no idea what kind it is. Any help would be appreciated! κаллэмакс 20:05, 15 June 2006 (UTC)

I'm not sure myself - baby gulls of most species tend to look very similar. Have you tried asking at Wikipedia:Reference desk/Science? That page gets far more traffic than this one and someone there is bound to know... --Kurt Shaped Box 21:37, 15 June 2006 (UTC)

interwiki link

Why is the Link to Wiktionary above the taxobox rather than in external links, like other interwiki links? Sabine's Sunbird talk 03:06, 3 April 2007 (UTC)