Dancing for their dinner: gulls in Vancouver tap dance to trick worms into thinking it's raining
Sneaky seagulls have found a way to lure earthworms to the surface by tapping their feet
For some, the rainy season in Vancouver is the start of a delightful buffet.
Earthworms spend most of their time underground, moving through the soil. But the soft pitter-patter of rain on the ground above is their signal to head to the surface.
Rainstorms are the perfect occasion for earthworms to look for food or a mate, as the ground is thoroughly moistened and the worms won't risk drying out. However, this isn't the only danger waiting at the surface.
Just outside the city, a flock of gulls is coordinating a morning departure from the roost. Hungry and in search of food, they head over to a grassy area in the city, looking for a tasty meal. Although the worms have disappeared back underground, these birds have a trick up their feet. They begin to rhythmically stomp on the grass.
In this excerpt of Hunters and Hunted, the first episode of Secret World of Sound, a series from The Nature of Things, we discover the clever — and sneaky — way gulls use tap dancing to mimic the sound of rain.
Though it might seem like an instinctual behaviour, this tap dancing is a relatively new trick. Due to the loss of ocean prey around B.C., some gulls have moved inland in search of food. Described as the "ultimate generalist" by experts, these birds can eat whatever is around, and this clever use of sound helps them grab an easy meal.
Watch the video above for the full story.
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