The Herring Gull
Britain's favourite sea bird 😁
3 reasons humans love to hate them:
- "Thieves" - Herring Gulls and other species of Sea Gull have often been accused of stealing ice cream from children and fish n' chips from adults.
A Sea Gull stealing someone's ice cream. - "Noise-makers" - Herring Gulls and other larger species of Sea Gull have often been accused of disturbing the peace with their cacophonies when humans are trying to sleep.
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"Unsanitary" - Herring Gulls have often been accused of relieving themselves on the clothing and rooftops of humans. Whilst their excrement may be considered artistic by Jackson Pollock fans, most humans claim it damages paintwork.
A Herring gull expelling waste near Île-de-Bréhat
The Sea Gull: A Poem
"For the seagull, he is a daring bird,
-- An exerpt from 'The Sea Gull' by Mary Howitt
And he loves with the storm to sail;
To ride in the strength of the billowy sea;
And to breast the driving gale.
The little boat, she is tossed about,
Like a seaweed, to and fro;
The tall ship reels like a drunken man,
As the gusty tempests blow.
But the seagull laughs at the pride of man,
And sails in a wild delight
On the torn-up breast of the night-black sea,
Like a foam-cloud, calm and white."