Staring at seagulls can stop them from stealing your food, scientists say

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Gulls have a bad reputation for swiping snacks, but new research reveals a simple way to deter the winged thieves. - NBCNewsMACH

The scientists approached 74 herring gulls in coastal towns in Cornwall, tempting them with weighted bags of fried potatoes. Most of the birds promptly flew away. Only 19 gulls were curious or hungry enough to linger, allowing the scientists to place the bag on the ground and retreat a short distance away, waiting in a crouched position to see if a gull would approach.

. Both trials would continue until the bird either pecked at the food bag or 300 seconds elapsed with no approach. But there was also a lot of variation in the gulls' responses; some approached more slowly than others, while others appeared not to notice the researchers' stares. Overall, the gulls' behavior suggested that they would be more likely to stay away from food if humans were close to the birds, the authors wrote.

 

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MACH They need to eat too

MACH Oh, yeah. But these are polite gulls. What about the ones that dive bomb you at the Jersey shore? No time to stare them down.

MACH Do scientists really need to do a research so that some bird doesn't steal your snack?

MACH Feed the gulls Alka Seltzer tablets.

MACH Damn good advice to keep socialist democrats away,

MACH Then you end up with a high stakes staring contest where the loser gets their food taken for being a push over.

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