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Seagulls 'charismatic' not 'criminal', say scientists (www.bbc.com)

submitted 7 months ago by MicroWave to c/science

11 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Seagulls are being forced into our towns by the loss of natural spaces - and we need to learn to live alongside them, say scientists.

Hit by multiple pressures, from avian flu to depleted fish stocks, gull populations are dwindling in the wild.

Driven into urban areas to survive, they are coming into conflict with humans for stealing food.

But rather than seeing them as pests we should respect these "clever birds", said one expert.

"When we see behaviours we think of as mischievous or criminal - almost, we're seeing a really clever bird implementing very intelligent behaviour," said Prof Paul Graham of the University of Sussex. "I think we need to learn how to live with them."

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[–] doublejay1999 10 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I have a hard time with this. They have no predators in the towns they occupy and populations are thriving .

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

They have the same predators in the towns as on the coast, and they're actually in decline.

[–] doublejay1999 3 points 7 months ago (2 children)

What predators do they have ?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago

Foxes, birds of prey, and if we consider egg predation then basically everything. Rats are a big issue for all seabirds.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 7 months ago

Mainly birds of prey I imagine.