[obol] Regurgitating Gull

[Cindy Ashy]

I've seen them hack up stuff but not then eat it.

--- Mike Patterson <celata at pacifier.com> wrote:

> Gulls routinely hack up undigestible stuff, just like owls
> and hawks.  Pay enough attention and you'll start noticing 
> little piles of crushed shell and bones at most gull roosts.
> 
> Cindy Ashy wrote:
> > 
> > Mid-day at the Newport South Jetty (high tide - first finger completely
> > underwater) it looked like most every gull in the neighborhood was gathered
> at
> > the gull puddle EXCEPT the one little gull I was looking for. The lighter
> first
> > winter Glaucous Gull was in this mix and I watched it regurgitate what may
> have
> > been its entire stomach contents given the volume. It almost immediately
> > started to feed on the regurgitated meal for several minutes. Then, the
> couple
> > that feed the gulls every day pulled up and like most of the other gulls,
> the
> > Glaucous Gull immediately recognized the car and flew to it. I took this
> > opportunity to take a closer look and it looked the regurgitated meal may
> have
> > been a highly digested starfish, at least in part. After all the bread was
> gone
> > and the gulls began to scatter again, the Glaucous Gull did not go back to
> the
> > regurgitated meal nor did any of the other gulls (at least as long as I was
> > there).
> > 
> > I know regurgitation is used for feeding young and offering food to a mate
> but
> > I can't think of a reasonable explanation for this. If the gull was sick I
> > doubt it would have eaten what it just regurgitated. Also, it was not being
> > harassed by the other gulls...and even the closest nearby gulls didn't seem
> > interested in "stealing" the meal. Any ideas?
> > 
> > Cindy
> > 
> > 
> >
>
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> -- 
> Mike Patterson               
> Astoria, OR                    
> celata at pacifier.com  
>  
> I'm not jealous or 
> Why I've never Seen Black-throated Blue Warbler in Oregon
> http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/mbalame/archives/004174.html
> 




 
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