Friendly seagull steals the show at Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It is one of the most photographed attractions and a top tourist destination year round. People come from countries all around the world to witness and photograph the splendor of almost 700,000 gallons of water rushing over the edge each second. The walkway at the top of the falls is constantly filled with sight seers wanting to capture memories of the famous landmark. Visitors can see the Falls from New York, or from Ontario as the river runs right along the border of the two countries.
It is no surprise that Niagara Falls is the subject of thousands of amateur photographs and videos, and many professional ones, each day. What IS surprising is that on a sunny afternoon, for more than half an hour, a common seagull known as "Emma" could distract a crowd of tourists from the majestic falls and completely capture their attention.

"Emma" is a friendly seagull who enjoys posing with tourists. She spends a good part of the day on the railing posts and she has little fear of humans. She will land on these posts and look at people expectantly. She happily accepts crumbs of food if anyone will provide them, but even when people are simply standing beside her for a photograph, or approaching for a selfie, she stands contentedly and seems to be posing along with them.

The tourists here were excited to be so close to a wild animal and to be able to get in a picture with Emma, but they were also careful to approach her slowly and not alarm her. This bird obviously understands that people here are not a threat and she seems to understand that the occasional one will provide her with something to eat.

As people lined up to take photographs, others stopped to see what the excitement was all about. They, in turn, wanted to get a photograph too. One of the people here commented that she is known as "Emma" and that her friendliness with people is her usual way.

Having a picture with such a beautiful background is always part of the appeal. Living in one of the most breathtakingly beautiful locations possible, Emma might just be one of the most photographed seagulls in North America.