Differences between Seagull and Vulture

Seagull and Vulture are two classes of birds that belong to the Laridae and Accipitridae families respectively.

Seagull is the vernacular form for the bird Gull. Known to be clever, these birds are mostly large in size with grey or white plumage. They have big black marks on their head and wings. Their beaks are usually yellow in color with a red spot and a hook at the tip. Bigger Seagulls have pink legs, while the smaller ones have red or black legs. The birds have webbed feet. There are over 40 species of Gulls across the world.

Vultures are foraging birds. They have a huge build with plumage that looks unkempt. The feathers are usually pale brown or black in color. The birds have bald heads, clawed toes, hooked beaks, and sharp vision. The talons on their long, clawed toes are blunt and their legs are rather weak. They generally maintain a hunched stance. The Vulture family consists of 23 species, which include 16 species that are native to Asia, Africa, and Europe and seven species that live in North America and South America. Some prominent Vulture species are Turkey Vultures, Himalayan Vulture, Black Vulture, King Vulture, and Lappet-faced Vulture.

Where are Seagull and Vulture found?

Gulls are water birds. They are typically found near coasts, especially during summers. However, they have become common even at inland waterways like rivers, reservoirs, and lakes. They can adapt to any region as long as there are food sources there. Consequently, Gulls are visible even inside cities and towns. Gulls exist everywhere in the world. They have been found even near Antarctica and the Arctic.

Vultures mostly live in open plains, grasslands, deserts, and mountains. They can also be found near human dwelling such as agricultural lands and cities. Vultures can be found in all countries of Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, and North America. They do not exist in Australia, Antarctica, and Pacific Islands.

What do Seagull and Vulture eat?

The natural diet of Gulls includes fish and other aquatic animals. Besides, it includes land animals like insects, worms, mice, and reptiles. However, Gulls are scavenging birds and can eat just about anything. They have been observed eating fruits, vegetables, and even chips, bread, and spaghetti. Gulls are one of the very few birds that can drink both salt and fresh water. The salt ducts and glands in their beaks act as desalination filters and help the birds to pass up excess salt.

Vultures have sharp vision, which allows them to keenly observe preys on the ground. However, they have weak legs and beak, because of which they prefer scavenging dead animals or surviving on human refuse. When they hunt, they capture rodents, reptiles, lambs, calves, and tortoise.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Seagull and Vulture

• Both Seagull and Vulture eat Fish.
• Both Seagull and Vulture eat Frogs.
• Both Seagull and Vulture eat Lizards.
• Both Seagull and Vulture eat Snakes.
• Both Seagull and Vulture eat Turtles.
• Both Seagull and Vulture eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Seagull, but not by all Vulture.
• Baby Ducks are consumed by both Seagulland Vulture.
• Mice are eaten by both Seagull and Vulture.

Size of Seagull and Vulture?

When it comes to size, The size of Gulls depends on the species. The smaller ones are generally about one foot long, while the larger ones could measure about 1.5 feet. The average wingspan of the birds is 2.9-3.3 feet.. Vultures are large birds characterized by wide wings. The largest Vulture is the Cinereous Vulture, which is about 3.3 feet long with a wingspan of nearly nine feet. Necrosyrtes Monachus or the Hooded Vulture is the smallest of the species. It is about 2.3 feet long and has a wingspan of 5.5 feet.

The weight of Gulls varies drastically for different species. The Little Gull weighs just about 4.2 ounces. On the other hand, the Great Black-beaked Gull weighs 3.8 pounds. while The weight of Vultures differs based on their species. The Cinereous Vulture weighs 27.5 pounds, whereas the Hooded Vulture weighs 5.7 pounds.

Where do Seagull and Vulture nest?

Gulls build their nests in their habitats. It could be at cliffs, coasts, islands, trees, and rooftops as long as they are safe, have food sources nearby, and inaccessible to predators. The nests are built using grass, twigs, and plant material. The eggs take about three weeks to hatch. The young ones are active and fledge when they are five to six weeks old.

Vultures make their nests in trees, cliffs, hollow logs, burrows, ledges, caves, or deserted buildings. They either build new nests using sticks and grass or use old ones by lining them with grass. Vulture eggs are greyish blue-green in color with brown or purple spots. The female lays one to two eggs, which are incubated by both partners for 28-40 days. The young ones fledge when they are 10-14 weeks old, but mostly depend on their parents for food till they are eight months old.

How long do Seagull and Vulture live?

Gulls have a short lifespan. They live for 8-20 years in the wild. The longest-lived Gull was from Denmark and lived for 33 years and eight months.

The lifespan varies for different species. Smaller birds may live up to 18 years in the wild, while the larger ones survive for nearly 50 years. For instance, Ruppell’s Vulture lives up to 50 years, the Hooded Vulture has a lifespan of about 30 years, and the Cinereous Vulture lives for 35 years. The oldest living of the species is a male Turkey Vulture that resides in California. He was born in 1974.

Are Seagull or Vulture migratory birds?

Gulls are generally migratory. They move from northern hemispheres during winter to regions where there are abundant food sources. The birds from Canada and North America move to the tip of South America or parts of USA where the temperature is not freezing. The Black-Headed Gull migrates from UK to southern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Similarly, Gulls migrate from China to Thailand, and from Russia and Siberia to the Indian subcontinent. Some Gulls living on French and Spanish coasts and other warmer regions do not migrate. Additionally, Gulls that have settled in cities where they get easy access to food from human refuse, safe nesting places in rooftops, and warmth from buildings may not migrate.

Vultures living in northern hemisphere are generally migratory. The species from southern hemisphere are mostly residents. In winters, about a million Vultures travel from Canada and North America to central and South America. Some of them even go up to Ecuador and Venezuela. Vulture species from cold regions of Europe move to Africa, while those from Russia and China travel to the Indian subcontinent.

Do Seagull and Vulture fly in flocks?

A flock of Gulls is called a squabble, screech, scavenging, or colony. Gulls live in groups, consisting of a few birds or even up to a thousand. They unite to drive away predators. Besides, they adopt different body language and sounds to communicate with each other. Gulls stay with their flocks almost throughout the year.

A flock of Vultures in flight is called a kettle, while a group of Vultures in rest is called a committee. Vultures are gregarious birds that live, eat, and roost in colonies. They migrate in large groups that sometimes could have a thousand birds. However, they hunt alone so as to not divert the prey.

Are Seagull or Vulture protected?

Seagulls, their nests, and eggs are protected under various laws across the world. Harming these in any way is considered a punishable offence.

Vultures are protected under Migratory Bird Treaty Act in USA. They are protected under similar laws in other countries like Canada, UK, France, and India. Hunting them in these countries is not permitted.

Are Seagull or Vulture endangered?

Some species of Gulls are endangered. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Chinese Black-Headed Gull and Relict Gull are vulnerable to extinction, while Heermann’s Gull and White-Eyed Gull are threatened. The population of Glaucous-winged Gull has declined by 50 percent in Georgia Basin, while the numbers of Gulls in Canada and the UK are also falling drastically. This has been attributed to loss of habitat, pollutants, and poor food quality.

The population of Vultures is shrinking due to poisoning by poachers and pesticides, and persecution by farmers. In Africa, Vultures are threatened by hunters who kill them for meat and for body parts that are used in traditional medicine. Presently, eight species in India and seven in Africa face the risk of extinction. Some Vultures listed as endangered include the Indian Vulture, the White-backed Vulture, the Hooded Vulture, the White-rumped Vulture, the Cinereous Vulture, the Himalayan Griffon, the Lappet-faced Vulture, and the Ruppell’s Vulture.

Can Seagull and Vulture fly?

Gulls are highly skilled in flying. They have expert control on wind and thermals, and can execute complex manoeuvres. They can fly at speeds of up to 28 miles per hour. The birds fly extremely long distances during migration. Gulls are capable of flying during the night as well. When there are changes in air pressure due to an oncoming storm or earthquake, Gulls gather in circles to regulate their focus and balance.

Vultures fly by making use of thermals and wind currents. They fly at high altitudes. Some species can fly as high as 37,000 feet above sea level. They are capable of sustaining even with low oxygen levels at higher altitudes. Vultures are known to fly at speeds of 15-20 miles an hour. They fly 62-93 miles a day in search of food. During migration, some species travel as much as 310 miles in a day. The way the birds use their wings during flight is dintinct for different species. While the Turtle Vulture can fly almost six hours without flapping its wings, species like Black Vulture flap their wings more often.

Can Seagull and Vulture swim?

Gulls are also adept swimmers. They can live comfortably both on land and water. They have webbed feet and can swim well both in sea and fresh waters. However, they do not swim too far in the seas. They usually swim in search of food.

Vultures are not known to be swimmers. They go to water bodies for bathing and drinking.

Mating patterns among Seagull and Vulture

Gulls start mating when they are about four years old. The heads of the Gulls are in pure white, black, brown, or gray color in the breeding season. They are known to mate both inland and on coasts, however copulation occurs on land at breeding sites. The courtship involves complex dances, rituals, and articulations. The Gulls mate until the female can lay an egg. They build their nests in colonies. Both male and female partners incubate the eggs for about 30 days.

Vultures start mating when they are five or six years old. During courtship, the male hops around the female in circles with its wings partly extended. He also chases the female while exhaling noisily. Vultures are slow breeders, they lay one to two eggs each year.

When is the mating season for Seagull and Vulture ?

The breeding season for Gulls is usually March-July every year. The birds gather at breeding colonies few weeks before the onset of the season.

The breeding season for Vultures is March-June in the northern hemisphere and February-April in the southern hemisphere. It is however unique for various species. For instance, the Indian Vultures breed during November-March and the Long-billed Vultures mate during October-May.

Do Seagull and Vulture mate for life?

Gulls are monogamous and stay with the same partner throughout their lives. They even return to the same breeding site every time.

Most Vulture species mate for life. They are monogamous and live together throughout the year. They also have strong family bonding.

How do Seagull and Vulture sleep?

Gulls generally sleep during the night. However, they are scavengers and are known to be awake and flying even in the night. In natural habitats, they sleep on beaches, rivers, and lakes. The city-dwellers sleep in parks and rooftops. Gulls usually roost in groups to stay safe from predators.

Vultures roost in large communities on trees, buildings, and towers. They stay close to each other in the night to remain warm and conserve energy.

Can Seagull and Vulture be eaten?

Gulls were consumed in the past by Inuit, Alaskan, Hare, and other cultures for survival. The meat of the birds is not considered appetizing. Further, it is illegal to hunt and eat Gulls under modern laws.

Vulture meat is largely consumed in Africa in addition to being used as traditional medicine. However, it is not recommended to eat Vultures as they are scavengers. Many countries do not allow hunting the birds for meat.

Can you hunt Seagull or Vulture?

Cultures in the northern hemisphere have hunted Seagulls in large numbers in bygone times. Some cultures have killed the birds for food. However, Gulls are not permitted to be hunted under existing laws.

In Africa, Vultures are hunted for meat and medicine. Worldwide, they are known to be killed by farmers for destroying property and attacking livestock. However, there are laws prohibiting hunting, killing, and trading of Vultures.

Can you feed Seagull or Vulture?

It is illegal to feed Gulls in public in some countries like the USA and Singapore. In countries like the UK, France, and India where feeding Gulls is allowed, the governments request the people to not feed processed food to the birds as it will harm their health. Gulls are scavengers, but it is advised to feed them healthy food like fish, worms, mice, and meat.

Feeding wild animals is illegal in places like the USA, Singapore, and Dubai. In captivity, they are given goat meat, rodents, and some plant material.