A couple of times while kayaking on my local river, the Manasquan in southern Monmouth county, I've seen crabs successfully defend themselves from gulls.
and on the shores of the North and Baltic seas I have seen gulls, especially individuals of larger species, who had obviously developed a certain expertise in dealing with dangerous prey: they'd hack at crabs until they were in several pieces, only then would they carry them off. No matter that this guaranteed at least two or three rivals fighting over the carcass - I have never seen a gull go off with an entire (thus potentially alive) crab.
A couple of times while kayaking on my local river, the Manasquan in southern Monmouth county, I've seen crabs successfully defend themselves from gulls.
and on the shores of the North and Baltic seas I have seen gulls, especially individuals of larger species, who had obviously developed a certain expertise in dealing with dangerous prey: they'd hack at crabs until they were in several pieces, only then would they carry them off. No matter that this guaranteed at least two or three rivals fighting over the carcass - I have never seen a gull go off with an entire (thus potentially alive) crab.