A Wetherspoon pub has installed a shrieking alarm to keep gulls away. The bird alarm has been heard playing a variety of gull sounds to scare off the pests, which swoop on drinkers and diners sitting outside.
The alarm has recently been moved to a new location at the Imperial pub in Exeter, reports DevonLive. A spokesperson for Wetherspoons said "Early signs are that is has been much more effective at deterring the seagulls, since it has been in the new location."
It's not the first time that The Imperial has tried to help people enjoy a meal undisturbed by thieving birds. In 2019, they began using a falcon, to patrol the pub garden and keep seagulls away. .
A Research Associate at the University of Exeter, said: "Alarm calls are the sound gulls make when they see a predator and they function to warn others. The most effective bird sounds people could use seem to be gull distress calls - these are the sounds gulls make when they have been caught, so they convey a high level of danger.
"The problem with using anything like this to deter animals is that animals habituate - after a while they will get used to the sounds, especially as they will suss out there is no danger present. This is why a combination of deterrents is best, such as visual deterrents or physical disturbance."
