They seem to occupy a similar niche of scavenging people’s unattended food, so it is probably a turf battle for the best snacks. The difference is crows work as a team, while many other birds do not.

I don’t know if I’ve come across any bad animals, many just work in ways that are strange and opposing to hire we function in human society.

Nice brief article here you may enjoy:

Sticker by Michael Trigg

I am fortunate to live on the waterfront in beautiful Vancouver. The oceanside is a constantly changing vista, depending on weather, ships coming and going, and the sea, different from one day to the next as wind and weather fluctuate and tides rise and fall.

There are three species of birds at the top of the birdlife foodchain where I live. Number one is bald eagles who predate on everything. When fish are in short supply, eagles will catch and feed on crows and seagulls. Members of these flocks will often join forces to attempt to move eagles to another locale, divebombing them and squawking to no avail. The eagles regard these futile actions with disdain.

The daily schedules of crows and seagulls have long fascinated me. I used to regard the crows as the Hells Angels of the bird world; dark and intimidating and troublemakers. Seagulls; I have seen them as easy-going moochers, standing around, not doing anything in particular, taking in the scenery and when an opportunity arises, snacking on discarded fast food and an occasional fish or crab washed up onshore.

An image of man watching birds. Image By: Forest Simon, Unsplash However, after several years of observing both bird species when out on my daily walks, I now see them in a different light. Now, to me, crows are the blue-collar workers of the bird world. They are up at dawn, winging their way in pairs from their nighttime roosting areas to select feeding spots. Many homeowners become exasperated with crows as they can destroy a lawn when digging for one of their favorite snacks — the tasty grub known as the European chafer beetle. Take some time one day and watch a crow at work. They are always on the go. Never stopping for a break. Though I have never seen this, they are also known to use tools. And, not just one tool such as a stick, but multiple tools.

Crows are smart critters. And make an enemy of one at your peril. It seems they have very long memories, great human facial recognition, and can also pass along information to each other. They learn very quickly and I have seen a parent teaching a youngster how to drop a clam or a mussel on a sidewalk to break them open. And, if a picnicker happens to leave the day’s picnic lunch unattended, crows will know very quickly and so will all their family and friends.

Seagulls on the other hand are very much loners. Newly out of the nest and have learned to fly, they pretty much have to fend for themselves. I quite often see a young seagull, squeaking away at its mother of even a group of people picnicking at the beach, looking for a handout. They are not workers of the bird world. If they happen upon something to eat, they eat it. They do not work for their food like crows.

An image of a seagull standing on a rock, swallowing a startfish. Image By: The Author Seagulls just hang around until a titbit floats by. Or in the case of starfish, (one of their favorite snacks) wait till the tide goes out and they are exposed on the rocks. A seagull will just amble over, pick up a starfish and begin the job of swallowing it — that can take a while. But that’s OK. They have nothing else to do and a whole starfish is enough food for a couple of days. And that seems to suit a seagull just fine. Stand around, gaze at the world, and digest today’s dinner. They may appear lazy but they are very opportunistic. Woe the fisherman who leaves his bait or catch unattended.

Both birds are the cleanup crews of the bird world, in more ways than one. They may be garbage birds but they do a great and necessary job.

So, one should never take any bird for granted. Each one serves a purpose in nature and each one has interesting aspects that may not be apparent to the casual onlooker. And don’t think just because they are birds, they are bird brains. They are anything but!