A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Exeter’s Center for Ecology and Conservation has uncovered an effective strategy to deter seagulls from stealing food: shouting. The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal Biology Letters, explored whether a human voice could discourage European herring gulls from snatching snacks in seaside towns. The findings revealed that while speaking can momentarily halt the birds, shouting is far more effective in making them flee. The study involved placing fries in a Tupperware box across southwest England and testing the reactions of 61 gulls to recordings of a robin’s song, a male voice speaking calmly, and a male voice shouting. The results showed that the gulls were more vigilant and less likely to approach the food when exposed to human voices, particularly when the tone was urgent. The birds tended to walk away from a speaking voice but flew away from shouting, indicating their ability to differentiate between vocalizations. Neeltje Boogert, a researcher involved in the study, noted that the gulls seemed to pay attention to the manner of speech, a behavior not previously observed in wild species. The study also highlighted that the experiment was designed to demonstrate non-aggressive methods of deterring gulls, a species of conservation concern in the U.K. Further research could explore whether gulls react differently to female voices.
Food-snatching seagulls are more likely to leave you alone if you shout at them, researchers say
