Shouting Scares Seagulls Away: New Study Reveals Effective Deterrent

According to a study published on November 12, 2025, shouting is a more effective way to scare off seagulls trying to steal food than simply speaking to them. Researchers from the University of Exeter's Center for Ecology and Conservation placed fries in a Tupperware box in towns across southwest England and observed the reactions of 61 European herring gulls to different audio recordings.

The gulls reacted with more vigilance and fled faster when exposed to a recording of a human voice shouting "No, stay away, that's my food" compared to a recording of the same words spoken in a normal voice. This was the case even though both recordings were played at the same volume. The birds tended to just walk away from the speaking voice, but flew away when they heard the shouting.

The study's lead author, Neeltje Boogert, explained that the gulls were able to differentiate between the acoustic properties of the vocalizations, suggesting they pay attention to the way humans say things - a behavior not previously observed in wild species. The researchers hope these findings can help people deter gulls from stealing food without having to resort to more aggressive actions against the birds, which are a species of conservation concern in the U.K.