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GULLS are utterly fearless, as shown by this remarkable image of a white-tailed eagle under attack.
Herring gulls dive-bomb predatory birds at a steep angle from above and behind, as they make a piercing shriek 鈥� 鈥渒aiow!鈥�.
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The attacks typically occur when the gulls are defending themselves and are most frequently seen during the breeding season, when adults protect vulnerable offspring. Some gulls also defecate or even vomit on the predator for good measure.
So-called 鈥渕obbing鈥� usually starts with one or two gulls, but may eventually attract a large number. 鈥淭hey nest in large, densely packed, noisy colonies and often gang up on a predator,鈥� says , a professor of animal ecology at the University of Glasgow in the UK.
鈥淭hey use mobbing to great effect,鈥� she says. Even Monaghan has come under attack during the course of her studies. 鈥淭hey kick you in the head 鈥� their claws are sharp and can cut.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 often suggested that using birds of prey, flown by falconers, might act as a gull deterrent,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his picture suggests otherwise.鈥�
Despite their aggressive, quarrelsome and omnivorous nature, Europe has seen a significant decline in herring gulls, lesser gulls and great black-backed gulls, the three largest populations. For example, figures from the UK鈥檚 suggest the British breeding population of herring gulls has halved since the late 1970s.
The cause of the declines is not yet known but could be the result of changes in their maritime environment, including pollution or developments in commercial fishing practices, says Monaghan.
鈥淏ecause the number breeding in urban areas has increased (though still a small percentage of the overall UK population), people do not realise that the herring gull is disappearing from our coasts,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey might sadly fall silent one day.鈥�
