Anyone who has spent any time in Liverpool city centre will know that seagulls are as big a part of the city as the Liver Birds.
The ECHO reported on snaps taken by photographer Andy Teebay showing an audacious seagull helping itself to a Deliveroo meal in the city centre.
Not ones to let us down, readers took to the comments section to tell us how they feel about the birds and to tell us about their own harrowing run-ins with the seaside scavengers.
What has become apparent from the comments is that people tend to fall in either of two camps.
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Some are amused by their antics and see them as part of the city's charm. Others see them as beady-eyed scavengers who prey upon anyone foolish enough to dine outside.
Rita Peberdy posted about losing her breakfast to a hungry bird, saying: “Got my bacon barm snatched from dive-bomb attack by one as I was about to take a bite, Tuesday gone. Vicious things, Hitchcock springs to mind.”
Liam McGuinness confirmed the common perception of the seagulls’ reputation as scroungers, saying: “I’ve seen them take packets of crisps from the L1 Greggs on Wall Street and opening them on the roof of the Pretzel place."
Dawn Louise picked out one particular bird for its intimidating attitude: “That one that’s always on Exchange Flags scares me to death. He bullies anyone walking past with food."
And Joe Taylor posted it wasn’t just people that end up the birds' victims, saying: “There’s one that actually comes into my kitchen when the door is open and eats my cat’s food”.
Other readers, however, put the seagulls' antisocial behaviour down to people.
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Susan Rankin said: “If people didn't drop waste food and throw them food, they'd be out living on the cliffs as nature intended. I can't stand it when humans blame animals and birds for what they've done!”
And David Kayll posted: “All wild animals are scavengers. What do you expect them to do? Sit down to dinner in evening wear then retire to the smoking room for cigars?”
Michael Prendergast gave his full support to the seagull's display of bare-faced cheek, saying: “[Seagulls] have been starved with town being empty in the last few months so good on it.”
Several people also admitted to giving particular seagulls affectionate pet names such as “Steven” and “Alan”.
And Alan Bell summed up his feelings on the whole thing saying: “Please stop giving these awful creatures column inches.”
Sorry Alan.
