California Gulls Eat Earthworms
California Gulls Eat Earthworms
Although late in the spring, gulls have many times been seen towering above the University campus at Berkeley, ostensibly to gain sufficient height to cross the hills towards their breeding grounds in the interior somewhere, no opportunity to determine the species so as to add it to the campus list of birds has presented itself until this past winter. On December 8, 1918, a gull seen feeding on the parade grounds was positively identified as a California Gull. The appearance of gulls in the same place was reported several times during January. On February 9, 1919, two gulls of this species were seen in the same place. At first they seemed to be picking up pebbles; but when watched closely they appeared to spy some item of food and running quickly to it, to swallow it whole. Closer investigation showed that they were feeding upon earthworms which had been drawn to the surface by a recent rain. On retrospection it was remembered that the bird seen in December was feeding similarly just after a rain.
Harold C. Bryant
Berkeley, California, April 2, 1919
