Overview
- The findings were published November 12 in the journal Biology Letters after field experiments at nine coastal sites in Cornwall, England.
- Researchers placed portions of fish and chips and played three recordings: a shouted male voice, the same words spoken calmly, and robin song.
- Outcomes differed sharply by treatment: of 21 gulls exposed to shouting, 10 flew off and 3 ran away, compared with 3 flying off under calm speech and 3 under robin song.
- Lead researcher Neeltje Boogert said gulls were more likely to fly away when shouted at, whereas calm speech prompted more walking away.
- The study suggests a simple, low-tech deterrent for beachgoers, though results stem from modest samples at Cornwall sites and broader validation has not yet been reported.