After part of the iconic Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed into the ocean amid powerful waves on Monday, feathered culprits have been found to factor into the pier’s damage: seagulls.

Repairs on the wharf, damaged by last winter’s storms, were delayed by strict permitting requirements, environmental litigation.

Visitors to Seabright State Beach this week walk past debris that came ashore following the collapse of a section of the Santa Cruz Wharf on Monday. Pilings, beams and a myriad of material from