“…and today we’re talking about an aerial ace, fry thief. But more on that later.”
On the cliffs where oceans wail,
The kelp gull tells a fishy tale.
With eyes so keen and beak so bright,
It spies a meal that’s quite a sight.
A right whale feasts on plankton small,
The kelp gull swoops, not shy at all.
It pecks and nibbles, takes its share,
A gourmet feast beyond compare.
So if you see this feathered fellow,
With beak all stained from blubber yellow,
Know he’s dining in grand style,
On right whale snacks, mile by mile.
Description of the Kelp Gull
Kelp gulls have black upper parts and wings, while the head, underbelly, and tail are white. Countershading!
The bill is yellow with a distinctive red spot, and the legs are greenish-yellow, becoming brighter during the breeding season.
Measure Up
Wingspan
They are 54 to 65 cm (21 to 26 in) in body length, and they’re wingspan is 128 to 142 cm (50 to 56 in).
Kelp gull wing spans are the same as…
- 4 kelp gull eggs (top to bottom)
- One 418 millionth the length of the French-German border
- One 33rd the height of the St. Hans Aften bonfire
Fact: The St. Hans Aften bonfire is set in Ålesund, Norway to celebrate the birthday of John the Baptist and Midsummer’s Eve. It’s 155 feet tall.
Weight
Adult males weigh on average 1,000 g (2.2 lb) and females weigh 900 g (2.0 lb).
The kelp wing is not the same weight as…
- 1,000 paper clips
- 1,000 No. 2 pencils
- 1,000 raisins
Fast Facts
Range
The kelp gull breeds along the coasts and islands of the Southern Hemisphere. Some subspecies is found in South America, parts of Australia (where it overlaps with the Pacific gull), and New Zealand.
In New Zealand, it is known as the black-backed gull, southern black-backed gull, mollyhawk, or by its Māori name, karoro. Another subspecies is called the Cape gull and it’s found around Southern Africa.
Diet
Kelp gulls are omnivores, scavenging and hunting for small prey. They are known to gather at landfills and have even been observed feeding on living right whales by pecking into their skin and blubber.
Nesting
Kelp gulls nest on land, typically on coasts and islands. They reproduce via internal fertilization, and the females lay fertilized eggs in nests built directly on the ground.
Predators
Kelp gulls have few natural predators but are likely taken by large coastal sharks when floating on the sea surface
Major Fact: Two Whales Don’t Make Right/A Whale Is A Veritable Smorgasbord
- Kelp gulls have been observed feeding on living right whales since at least 1996. The kelp gull uses its powerful beak to peck down centimeters into the skin and blubber, often leaving the whales with large open sores, some of which have been observed to be half a meter in diameter.
- Kelp gulls often target the backs and flanks of right whales, particularly focusing on the areas around the blowholes where the skin is thinner.
- The gulls use their beaks to peck at the whales’ skin, creating wounds and sometimes enlarging existing ones.
- Kelp gulls primarily feed on the blubber and skin of the right whales, which provides them with high-energy nourishment.
- These birds are known to follow right whales, especially mothers and calves, waiting for the opportune moment to land and feed.
- Kelp gulls take advantage of the whales’ need to surface for air, landing on their backs when they come up to breathe.
- Often, multiple gulls will attack a single whale at once, making it harder for the whale to defend itself or shake them off.
- The constant pecking and wounding by kelp gulls can lead to significant stress and energy loss for right whales, particularly affecting calves.
- To avoid attacks, right whales may alter their surfacing behavior, staying underwater longer or performing evasive maneuvers.
- The wounds inflicted by kelp gulls can become infected, further compromising the health of the whales.
- This behavior has been extensively documented in certain regions, particularly off the coast of Argentina, where interactions between kelp gulls and right whales are more frequent.
Ending: So set sail on the open ocean, keep an eye out for large moving cetacean buffets, and pick on someone your own size unlike the kelp gull here in LDT.