Aggressive seagulls have long terrorized British vacationers trying to enjoy fish and chips or an ice cream on a day at the beach. Now, animal behaviorists say they have discovered the best way to tackle the feathery bandits: shout at them. Experts at the University of Exeter in southwestern England placed a portion of fish and chips in front of gulls and then played one of several different recordings. One recording featured a male voice yelling, “No! Stay away, that’s my food!” The second used the same voice speaking words calmly, while the third was a recording of a robin’s birdsong. Researchers discovered that the birds were three times more likely to take flight when exposed to the shouting voice compared to the speaking voice, while the birdsong was the least effective deterrent. So, when trying to scare off a seagull that’s trying to steal your food, talking might stop them in their tracks, but shouting at them is more effective in making them fly away.
