Rare Video of Baby Seagulls Following Their Mom Has People Stunned

Being a baby bird is a surprisingly intimate thing. We hardly see baby birds; they live their first few weeks in the nest and only leave it once they've grown a little. Even after that, though, they keep out of the public eye. They need to stay protected!

On Saturday, June 20th, though, one woman managed to catch a glimpse of a group of baby seagulls. Her and other passersby were in total awe, because no one knew what they looked like:

I'm very glad that @lemon_scarlet caught this ordeal on video, because that is not at all what I thought they'd look like! I expected them to be white and fluffy!

Related: Seagull's Brazen Trip to the Convenience Store Has Everyone Laughing Out Loud

In this video, the mama seagull is leading her three chicks up some rocks. They're on their way somewhere; most likely to find food or a new shelter that will fit their growing selves. By this point, the chicks aren't able to fly (or, at least, not very far) so they travel on foot.

Their mother will stay with them for about 6 weeks, and she'll feed them all the whole time. After that, they fly the nest and go off to become seagulls on their own, which is when you'll find them being annoying in parking lots!

More About Baby Seagulls

Most seagull eggs are laid in the late spring and continue into the late summer, as most birds do. The seasons are plentiful and, thus, ideal for raising a family. When an egg is laid, the mother bird will incubate it for about 3 weeks .

At first, seagulls are tiny, and they come out of the egg covered in spots, like we see in this video. It helps them blend into their surroundings, which wards off predators. A lot of baby animals are born similarly; when they're young, they have darker fur to keep them safe. As they get bigger, their spots fade and they come into their final plumage.

Gulls reach their full size and adult plumage approximately 2-4 years after they hatch, depending on their size. The babies in this clip will stay this brown, spotty color for months before it sheds to a lighter brown, and eventually, a white/grey/black combination. They start mating approximately when they finish growing, too!

A seagull's lifespan is about 20 years in the wild, though it can vary widely depending on lots of factors. Their diet, habitat, and ability to forage can all decrease a seagull's lifespan drastically. If you see a gull, don't go feeding it whatever's on your plate, even if it begs!