Even the “strongest” predators, armed with powerful venom and fast moves can pass thought delicate times. That’s the case of the molting period, during which some of these animals must change their external skeleton (called exoskeleton) in order to grow.
Welcome to the (city) jungle one would sing by witnessing such behavior of a yellow-legged gull (Larus michaellis) preying and eating a feral pigeon (Columba livia).
We’re used to see raptors or peregrine falcons preying even inside big cities, but there are many reports of gulls eating other smaller birds and it’s not an uncommon sight indeed. I still remember a great black-backed gull (Larus marinus) in Isle of May (Scotland) preying on a guillemot chick some years ago.
Even the behavior shown in the images below, photographed in front of my home in Genoa (Italy), happened at least two more times in front of my eyes before I was able to get my camera in time to get some shots.
Luckily enough, a friend coming here for work was able to witness the predation going on and called me in time to take some shots from my window, then down in the street, before the “raptor gull” decided to fly away in a calmer spot to end its feast.
The first images are shot while it was trying to unsuccessfully swallow the gull from behind, with the prey’s wings stopping the process and forcing the gull to spit it out again (while I was running down the stairs on hyper-speed mode with my camera).
The high number of feral pigeons living on the walls around my home is a true feasting ground for the highly dominant and opportunist gulls that sometimes prefer fresh meat instead of trash bins remains or dead fish.
Per prenotare il viaggio ed i voli: Sangallo Tours (Alessia) alessia@sangallotours.it
Un viaggio naturalistico e fotografico per scoprire la fauna e la flora e la cultura dei grandi ambienti peruviani: il deserto costiero, la foresta nebulosa andina e quella calda amazzonica.
My “Gladiator crab” image, that’s a People choice’s award nominee at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015 is also available as postcard at the London Natural History Museum!
I also take this chance to remind all of those who appreciate my work, to vote my image for the People’s choice award, you can vote it here!
What else to say? crabs crabs crabs!!!!
Un viaggio naturalistico e fotografico per un piccolo gruppo di persone (massimo 10 partecipanti) davvero unico che visiterà zone di struggente bellezza nel deserto della Namibia, dove vivono specie animali e vegetali uniche al mondo.
Hey all! Ciao! Just a very fast note to let you all know that until 5 January 2016 my “the gladiator crab” image can be voted inside the People’s Choice Award for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015!
Tante novità che si susseguono di giorno in giorno! Sarò tra i relatori dei phototalks negli eventi Nikon LIVE! del 7 Novembre a Roma e del 14 Novembre a Padova
Venerdì 25 settembre sarò ospite d’onore e aprirò l’evento TreviNatura a Trevi (PG) per una proiezione fotografica dedicata ai piccoli predatori,: “Piccoli predatori, grandi storie”.
Domenica 27 settembre sarò ospite del Festival dei Gufi a Grazzano Visconti (PC) per una proiezione fotografica dedicata come mio solito ai piccoli predatori, questa volta specificamente a quelli notturni, come i gufi e civette simbolo dell’evento. Si intitolerà “Predatori nella notte, quelli piccoli e senza piume”.
Nuova edizione per la mostra “Predatori del Microcosmo”, questa volta in Italia nord-orientale, a Quinto di Treviso (TV), presso la splendida Oasi di Cervara a partire dal 5 settembre fino al 1 novembre 2015.