Video of gull swallowing a squirrel whole is totally normal and fine, say researchers
A viral video of a herring gull swallowing an entire squirrel whole has many people shocked and horrified. But the people who study these birds, including College of the Atlantic W.H. Drury Professor of Ecology/Natural History John Anderson, say to CBC Radio that there’s nothing to be alarmed about.
By Sheena Goodyear | CBC Radio
The clip, which was posted on a wildlife-focused TikTok account, captures the gull gobbling up a fluffy black squirrel in a snake-like fashion. Each time the bird gulps, the unwitting prey’s hind legs and bushy tail disappear further down its gullet.
John Anderson, a professor of ecology and natural history at College of the Atlantic in Maine, has been studying gulls for decades. He says while they can and do hunt, he’s rarely seen one killing a small mammal. He suspects the squirrel was already dead when the gull found it.
“Honesty, it’s a herring gull doing what a herring gull does,” Anderson told CBC. “They are scavengers.”