Eierrovende Lepelaar Platalea leucorodia op Griend

We observed an adult Spoonbill in full breeding plumage taking Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus eggs on the island of Griend, Dutch Wadden Sea, on 13 May 1992. Five or six times, the Spoonbill took an egg from two gull nests within five minutes. Eggs were taken in the bill, then thrown up, and caught in the open bill held up vertically. In the process, the bird was constantly and intensely attacked by gulls; in response, it drew in its neck and raised its head feathers. After this successful robbery the bird tried to take eggs in another subcolony. This time the bird was not successful, probably due to heavy gull attacks. A few hours later, another Spoonbill in breeding plumage tried to take eggs from Black-headed Gull nests on the island, but without success.