How do seagulls wind up so far away from the sea in large supermarket parking lots in the midwest?

Question

How do seagulls wind up so far away from the sea in large supermarket parking lots in the midwest?

Answer 1

when they are hungry they come in land to eat :)

Answer 2

Well, how far away from one of the great lakes is the supermarket?  

For one, gulls love places where they can get a free lunch, and supermarkets are always a source of food.  If the supermarket is then close to a big body of water, the little excursion is always worth it.  Question then is, how far away from a big body of water was the supermarket?  My guess, not too far from one of the great fives...

Answer 3

The only reason you even ask this question is that many people call members of the family Laridae "seagulls", rather than the correct common name of "gulls". Even the state of Utah calls its state bird the seagull, rather than the proper common name of California Gull. I guess they don't like to acknowledge that any Californian ever did anything to save their ancestors.