Abstract
Black-headed Gulls feed their chicks at intervals of about 45 min. This feeding rate is independent of nestling age, brood size and time of day. Adults swallow food that the chicks do not eat. This ‘back feeding’ decreases with the age and number of nestlings. The observed feeding and the size of meals (estimated from what chicks regurgitate when handled) are enough to cover the energy requirements judged from the intake of hand-reared young. A statistical analysis of growth rate, feeding frequency, asymptote weight and brood size of non-passerine families shows that high feeding frequencies are associated with increased growth rates. Feeding frequency and body size are the most important variables in predicting growth rates of birds.
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