Red Billed gull with a nut on it's leg

[Angus Fordham]

Hi, this gull caught my eye from a distance when I was walking along the Wellington waterfront this afternoon, because I thought it might have a leg band on it's left leg. But, I was quite surprised to find that it was in fact a metal nut. It baffles me, how it would have got on there.

[Angus Fordham]

Random question, is there any merit in me submitting this to the Bird banding office?

[David Melville]

I have done so already.
,,,,,and, yes, I think it important that all such records are reported even though the Banding Office presumably has not sanctioned such use and so will not be able to track down the bird or bander,

[Angus Fordham]

Thanks very much David! That's probably right it wouldn't be sanctioned, rightly so. Albeit distinctive

[Angus Fordham]

Walking along the waterfront this afternoon I spotted this gull again. It was a very warm day today and I think you can see that, in one of these photos where the gull has its mouth open in the shot. Apart from the wear to the leg that the nut is causing, it seems to me the colour of the feet and beak have changed since I last photographed it. Is that to do with age or season?

[BerndHuss]

It seems to me that age or season doesn't come into it when it comes to the colour of the leg, as the other leg looks totally normal. Also the nut seems to have caused a lump at the bottom.

[Clinton9]

This gull just reached its 2nd birthday 1-2 last months ago, and it had started to moult last month, and will be fully adult once it finish moulting.

[Clinton9]

This bird is second summer now, reached its 2nd birthday 1-2 last months ago.

Walking along the waterfront this afternoon I spotted this gull again. It was a very warm day today and I think you can see that, in one of these photos where the gull has its mouth open in the shot. Apart from the wear to the leg that the nut is causing, it seems to me the colour of the feet and beak have changed since I last photographed it. Is that to do with age or season?

[zarkov]

You'd have to assume it was put on there when it was very young.

Very strange.

[Angus Fordham]

Thanks to all of you for your responses. They are very interesting to read. Definitely a strange puzzle, a form of animal cruelty.