the.com/gull
a winged pickpocket that learned humans pack snacks and never learned shame
means a long-winged seabird of the family Laridae, common along coasts and increasingly inland, known for raucous calls and bold scavenging.
from From Middle English, likely borrowed from a Celtic source — compare Welsh 'gwylan' and Cornish 'guilan,' both names for the bird. It edged out the older Old English word 'mew' (which survives in 'mews' and the German 'Möwe'). The verb 'to gull,' meaning to dupe or swindle, is probably a separate development tied to the bird's reputation for greedy gullibility — though the exact link is debated.
- drink seawater
- glands above eyes filter out the salt
- stomp dance
- taps feet to mimic rain, tricks worms up
- food theft
- watch where you look, then strike your chips
- clever mappers
- recognize individual humans and hold grudges
- name origin
- 'gullible' may share roots with the gluttonous bird
herring gull — most common gull species in northern hemisphere, found across north america, europe, and asia
great black-backed gull — largest gull species, largest in north atlantic region, weighs up to 2.5 kg
laughing gull — named for its distinctive laughing call, breeds along atlantic and gulf coasts of usa