Laelaps
Musings on evolution, the fossil record, and our place in nature
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Laelaps is the blog of freelance science writer Brian Switek. This blog frequently features his musings on paleontology, evolution, and the history of science. Switek also blogs for Smithsonian magazine's Dinosaur Tracking, and he is a research associate at the New Jersey State Museum.
Switek's first book, Written in Stone, will be published on November 1, 2010 by Bellevue Literary Press.
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« Photo of the Day #666: Saiga | Main | Book Review: Rag and Bone »
Photo of the Day #667: A dangerous lunch
Category: Birds • Inverts • Photography
Posted on: August 10, 2009 12:59 PM, by Brian Switek
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Comments
A couple of times while kayaking on my local river, the Manasquan in southern Monmouth county, I've seen crabs successfully defend themselves from gulls.
Posted by: NoAstronomer | August 10, 2009 1:42 PM
and on the shores of the North and Baltic seas I have seen gulls, especially individuals of larger species, who had obviously developed a certain expertise in dealing with dangerous prey: they'd hack at crabs until they were in several pieces, only then would they carry them off. No matter that this guaranteed at least two or three rivals fighting over the carcass - I have never seen a gull go off with an entire (thus potentially alive) crab.
Posted by: Heinrich Mallison | August 11, 2009 7:41 AM