Playing Fetch
While taking pictures of gulls at the Levee in Marietta Ohio in Jan 2013 I noticed some gulls that seemed to be playing fetch with floating sticks in the river. A gull would pick up a small floating stick take off into the air with it, and after reaching 20 or 30 feet in the air let the stick go. As the stick would fall back to the water the gull would chase it and sometimes catch it before it hit the water. Then he would start all over again. Often other gulls would notice the game as they passed and join in the chase. In a few cases when the stick was snatched by a passerby while falling a high speed chase would occur. I had never observed this behavior before but I am guessing it has something to do with practicing chasing down something to eat. They did appear to be enjoying the activity, and I know I was quite entertained watching them as well.
Playing Fetch
While taking pictures of gulls at the Levee in Marietta Ohio in Jan 2013 I noticed some gulls that seemed to be playing fetch with floating sticks in the river. A gull would pick up a small floating stick take off into the air with it, and after reaching 20 or 30 feet in the air let the stick go. As the stick would fall back to the water the gull would chase it and sometimes catch it before it hit the water. Then he would start all over again. Often other gulls would notice the game as they passed and join in the chase. In a few cases when the stick was snatched by a passerby while falling a high speed chase would occur. I had never observed this behavior before but I am guessing it has something to do with practicing chasing down something to eat. They did appear to be enjoying the activity, and I know I was quite entertained watching them as well.