Last spring I treated myself to a special lunch from the market by the harbourside. I got a Korean BBQ burger and, of course, was incredibly excited to eat it. Unfortunately my day was soon ruined. By a seagull. The bird landed on my head as I walked back to We The Curious. And while I was startled by this, it knocked my burger onto the floor and ate it in front of me. The following week it happened again. I have let this get to me.
Many of us have similar stories, or have seen it happen to friends or family. There is no doubt that some seagulls love to steal human food. But they can be a nuisance in other ways too. Many people consider seagulls to be aggressive and noisy. And the problems seem to get worse every year as seagull numbers increase.
Students at Hannah More Primary School led a seagull investigation of their own.
We talked to students at Hannah More primary school about seagulls and we were surprised by their compassion. In fact, they might have me rethinking my own seagull opinions. In the hope of moving past my feelings about seagulls, I have been looking into things in more detail.
Are seagulls aggressive birds?
There is no doubt that some seagulls can be aggressive. My own experience is just one example of the vicious activities that seagulls get up to. They knock food onto the floor, like my poor burger. But also grab it straight out of people’s hands. When doing this they sometimes peck or bite people. Sometimes badly enough that a hospital visit is needed. Seagulls have also been known to dive onto people or even vomit or poo on them deliberately (yuck). All this adds up to what looks like an absolute nightmare of a bird. Especially if you happen to live or work close to their nests.
Seagulls like to hang out on the roof of the We The Curious building. This one had a rock and we were all really pleased about it. Video credit: Violet Allmark.
But this detail is key. Most of these seagull behaviours only really become a problem if they think their nests are being threatened. Seagulls commonly build nests around April and May, at the start of their breeding season. Advice from the RSPCA is to give seagulls their space during these months. By staying away from seagulls’ nests and chicks, we can show the birds that we are not a threat and that they have no reason to be aggressive. Failing that, an umbrella can act as a shield to any diving gulls.
However, fear for their babies does not excuse seagulls stealing food. My lunch was clearly not a threat. The investigation continues...
Why do seagulls want human food?
It seems clear that seagulls enjoy human food. Seagulls are omnivores, meaning that they will try eating anything. They’re not fussy about sticking to any type of diet – there’s not many vegetarian or vegan seagulls (that we know of!). Surprisingly though, seagulls actually prefer food that is being held by a human. Research shows that seagulls will consistently choose food that a person has touched. Even over the exact same food left on the ground. Seagulls have learned that where there are people, there is likely also delicious food. So they look to us to show them where the food is, and what type of food is good to eat.
A young seagull deciding if this food is human-approved and gluten free. I'm joking, it's probably just trying to figure out how to tear open the plastic.
The seagulls in Bristol have got particularly good at this. Research from the University of Bristol has shown that Bristol’s seagulls have sorted out a timetable. These birds have figured out the break and lunch times of local schools, and coordinate to arrive in the playground at that time. An absolutely weird ‘school-run’. They then fly off to the nearest dump, to arrive just as a waste truck drops off another load of potential goodies. I think, on some level, you have to respect the resourcefulness of these birds – even if I find them incredibly annoying and gross.
Why are there suddenly so many seagulls?
Every spring it feels, to me at least, like I am suddenly surrounded by seagulls at all times. This could just be my wariness of the birds, combined with their abrupt rise in activity during their breeding season.
The number of wild seagulls in the UK is actually decreasing. When we think of seagulls, there are actually a few different species of bird we could mean.
Image Credits: Fernando Losada Rodríguez, Fernando Losada Rodríguez, ArildV
All of these bird species are actually on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern lists. However, the number of seagulls within Bristol is on the rise. In 1980 there were around 100 pairs of seagulls in Bristol. That figure is now estimated to be 2500 pairs of seagulls. City living seems to suit seagulls! There are fewer predators, warmer temperatures, and easier access to snacks. Nesting on tall buildings suits these birds just fine. They would normally nest on steep cliffs – how different is an office block really?
Why do seagulls have a bad reputation?
Clearly, seagulls have an image problem. A lot of us think of them as noisy, thieving, and sometimes violent creatures. And if I’m being honest, I do think they mostly deserve this reputation.
However, seagulls have proved themselves to have some redeeming qualities. Their aggression can be viewed as protectiveness. They are only aggressive to humans when they feel their family is in danger. They are intelligent – able to make plans beyond your standard avian mischief. They pull off full snack-motivated heists – frequently outwitting humans. Seagulls have been known to work together to steal food. Having their friend distract you while they swoop in for your chips.
Do seagulls feel bad about their behaviour? Probably not. Does that mean they are evil? Probably not.
These birds have also proved themselves to be adaptable. Their abundance in our cities hides the greater problems these species face. By adapting to city life, seagulls are giving themselves their best shot of surviving and thriving.
Perhaps it’s time we started to think of seagulls, not as a nuisance, but as a new neighbour. We might have a lot to learn about each other. We might not love the noise they make or their etiquette around bins. But they have just as much right to be here as we do. Maybe we can find things to like about them and build a relationship that benefits us all.
All the talk of ‘human food’ got you hungry? Check out this article ‘How can I make sustainable food choices?’ for more food chat. But sadly no advice on how to keep it from seagulls.
