Bizarre prooien: vreemd voedsel opgepikt door Zilvermeeuwen en Kleine Mantelmeeuwen

In this note, the unusual or even bizarre prey is described as found in the course of an ecological study of Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls nesting at Texel. The diet of these omnivorous species is at least potentially spectacularly varied, but most individuals simply feed on energy rich, natural prey such as bivalves, fish and crustaceans. Bizarre prey and junk food are the exception rather than the rule. We have examined all prey in considerable detail, because it may point at foraging locations that were either unexpected or otherwise unknown. A rare (aquarium) fish, rather disgusting insect larvae, tiny snails, berries and grapes, plastic dolls and soldiers, a mobile phone and a medal are listed and depicted as bizarre or at least unusual prey. Some of the junkfood was accompanied with plastics, foils and paper indicating hasty meals. Some individual gulls produced pellets that primarily consisted of glass, plastic, aluminum foil, and other rubbish. Grass-pellets were mostly produced to remove earth worm setae and Nereis jaws from the proventriculus.