Kleptoparasitic behaviour of a Herring Gull Larus argentatus at a Puffin Fratercula arctica colony.

Abstract

The Herring Gull Larus argentatus is an opportunistic feeder which exploits a wide range of prey types (Spaans 1971, Schaffer 1972, Sibly & McCleery 1983). Kleptoparasitism, the robbing of procured food, has been recorded amongst the Laridae by several workers (e.g, Ingolfsson 1969, Hatch 1970, 1975, Nettleship 1972, Corkhill 1973) and the subject of kleptoparasitism is reviewed by Brockmann & Barnard (1979). This study describes the kleptoparasitic behaviour of a Herring gull which specialized in robbing fish from Puffins Fratercula arctica.