What does the Great Black-backed Gull eat?

The Great Black-backed Gull's diet shapes where and when you'll find it. Understanding what it eats helps you predict where to look.

Diet overview

Highly omnivorous and opportunistic. Includes fish, crustaceans, mollusks, eggs and chicks of other birds (including other gull species), small mammals (e.g., rats, rabbits), carrion, offal, insects, berries, and human refuse.

How it forages

Highly predatory. Hunts live prey including fish, crabs, seabird chicks (e.g., puffins, terns, eider ducklings), and small mammals. Also a significant scavenger, frequently feeding on carrion, offal from fishing vessels, and refuse. Known for kleptoparasitism (stealing food from other birds) and egg predation.

When it feeds

Diurnal, primarily active during daylight hours for foraging, though will feed at night if food is available (e.g., under artificial lights at harbors).

Explore the Great Black-backed Gull