Mating ritual or killer gull

[J. Dillon]

Been around on the water for a while now but never seen this before. While sailing out of the Branford river CT noticed two or three gulls squabbling over some fish scraps on an abandoned dock. One flew off but the other two kept up the dispute. One mounted the other in either a mating ritual or a down right attempt to drown the one under. I sailed back but the struggle got out of sight behind some moored and docked boats. I was able to determine they were still at it and only one set of wings flapping around on the water. Was I seeing a victor or rough sex, gull style ?;):confused:

JD

[S.V. Airlie]

Jack.. hard to tell the sexes apart in gulls.. Have noticed the exact same thing with mallards and the sexes were easily distinguished. The hen, in this case, didn't have a chance.. was drowned. Not that the males cared...

[John B]

Dunno , but my daughter witnessed a gull kill a pigeon a few weeks back.

[rbgarr]

Around here the black back gulls will really beat up on the gray back ones.