Next time a seagull comes swooping for your chips, you might do well to bite your lip. For, The Conversation reports the herring gull (seagull) and the six other gull species that breed in the UK are declining in number and are of conservation concern.
Herring gulls are in fact on the UK red list, the highest level of concern. Food poisoning at landfill sites has had an effect in recent years and been a major contributory factor in their decline.
Gulls are kleptoparasites: they steal food from each other and from other species. However, gulls are unusual in that they take food from humans, although they have to be bold to do it.
When they take food they're storing it for later in their crop, a pouch that functions in a similar way to a shopping bag, from which food can be eaten later. From a gull’s point of view, if they don’t take the food that’s in front of them, they might go hungry.
So what do we do when we're under attack? Firstly, reduce unwanted encounters by disposing of food waste properly.
Members of the public should also be vigilant and look where gulls are and watch them. You should sit under an umbrella or by a high wall so that gulls can’t swoop in from out of your sight.
They are merely trying to find enough to survive. It's something to think about at the seaside when you're trying to shield your lunch from attack.
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