Why you should have more sympathy for seagulls – and how to stop them stealing your chips

By Madeleine Goumas, Postdoctoral research associate, University of Exeter

On a summer’s day at the beach, the sound of seagulls is part of the ambience. But what about when they’re in the middle of a city, or when they’ve just taken your lunch? Not a lot of people like seagulls. They’re loud, messy and quite partial to whatever you’re eating. As annoying as they may be, their reputation for brash behaviour masks a different story.

There are many different species of gulls. The birds most people think of as seagulls, the ones with silver backs and pink legs, are herring gulls.

They’re the species most likely to nest on houses and steal your chips.…

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