Seagulls have a highly varied and opportunistic diet, making them omnivores that eat a wide range of foods depending on availability and season.
What Seagulls Eat
- Marine and freshwater prey: Fish (such as herring, mackerel, sardines, cod, bass, tuna), marine invertebrates (crustaceans like crabs and shrimp, mollusks including clams, squid, octopus, scallops, oysters), and other beach-dwelling creatures
- Terrestrial prey: Insects, earthworms, rodents, small birds, eggs, reptiles, and amphibians
- Plant material: Seeds, fruit (pineapple, bananas, apples, watermelon), nuts (pine nuts, pecans), and agricultural crops
- Carrion and offal: Dead animals and discarded animal parts
- Human food waste: Bread (though not nutritious for them), processed foods, garbage from landfills, parks, beaches, and fishing vessels
- Rarely: Small bites of marine mammals like seals and whales have been reported
Feeding Behavior
- Seagulls catch prey in the air, on water, or on land. They can hawk insects mid-flight, snatch food from water or ground, plunge-dive for fish, and forage by swimming or foot paddling to bring up invertebrates
- They are highly adaptable and shift their diet seasonally, eating more terrestrial prey like seeds and earthworms during breeding season, and more marine prey in the nonbreeding season
- Parents feed chicks by regurgitating protein-rich food such as fish and crustaceans to ensure chick survival
Summary
Seagulls eat fish, marine and freshwater invertebrates, insects, rodents, small birds and eggs, reptiles, amphibians, seeds, fruit, carrion, and human refuse. Their diet is extremely flexible, allowing them to thrive in diverse environments from remote coastlines to urban areas
