Channel Islands Sea Gulls Apparently Love In-N-Out; But Their Diet May Be Changing Their Habitat

A Western sea gull digs for food in discarded fast food packaging in Oxnard in this undated photo. (Credit: Los Angeles Times)

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: Oct 22, 2019 / 10:34 AM PDT

Updated: Oct 22, 2019 / 10:34 AM PDT

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Thirty minutes after setting sail for the Channel Islands National Park, Ana Sofia Guerra spotted a creamy white sea gull soaring majestically against the slate gray sky.

The other passengers on the 64-foot catamaran were captivated by a pod of dolphins leaping playfully from the water, but Guerra kept her eyes trained on the solitary gull.

The ecologist pointed a large camera skyward and snapped a picture of the seabird gliding on the strong ocean breeze. Then a smile spread across her face.

“It’s probably heading back from a trip to McDonald’s,” she said.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.

3/Encountering so many gulls in one place completely changes how you see these birds. Assembled en masse on the island of Anacapa, you realize — they are not just potato chip stealers — they are wildlife. And their chicks are so cute! pic.twitter.com/Qw6R2oQnhz

— Deborah Netburn (@DeborahNetburn) October 22, 2019

5/I hung out with a scientist who tagged gulls to see where they are getting their food. It turns out that at least 40% of their foraging trips are to the mainland — places like In-N-Out, Vietnamese bakeries, fancy food courts.https://t.co/VKeFS9s0kv

— Deborah Netburn (@DeborahNetburn) October 22, 2019

7/The work is ongoing. She doesn’t know what she’ll find yet. But you can read more about her research, and this amazing seagull oasis just a few hours from Los Angeles in today’s story. Thanks for reading! https://t.co/VKeFS9s0kv pic.twitter.com/OGX6elU3Mg

— Deborah Netburn (@DeborahNetburn) October 22, 2019