Animals
Cities are a winter destination for seagulls
The call of the black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) sounds like laughter, hence the name. photo
© Daniel Karmann/dpa
Seagulls live by the sea. But not only there: they also exist in Bavaria. There they have a favorite destination full of leftovers in winter.
The biologist Stefan Böger from the government of Middle Franconia, who co-manages the “Participating Seagulls” project, is interested in these observations. Goal: find out more about the origin of black-headed gulls in the region.
According to the project homepage, the black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is the most common seagull in Germany and Europe. The chocolate-brown head and the call, which sounds like laughter, are typical. In winter, however, the birds have simple, gray-white plumage without any distinctive head coloring.
Christmas markets and primary schools are very popular with seagulls
According to Böger, initial results indicate that the black-headed gulls in Nuremberg, for example, do not come from Altmühlsee or other nearby ponds, but from Eastern Europe. “At the Christmas market, for example, you will find a richly laid table.”
In Landshut, on the other hand, primary schools are particularly popular, explains Böger’s colleague Philipp Herrmann. Secondary schools, on the other hand, are not as attractive because older children no longer drop as much lunch.