Dr Michelle Dickinson: nanotechnologist reveals unexpected tip to stop seagulls from stealing your chips

I’ve already talked this year about research that shows staring at a seagull will prevent it from stealing your chips, but as beach season starts again - here is another science backed tactic that you can use. According to new research published in the journal Biology Letters the best defence might be the simplest - just shout at the gull!  The researchers tested 61 on how they responded to human voices after placing a portion of chips in a gull hotspot. As soon as a gull approached, the team played one of three recordings:  A male voice shouting: “NO, STAY AWAY, THAT’S MY FOOD, THAT’S MY PASTY!” The same voice speaking the same words in a normal tone. Birdsongs from a robin. All recordings were played at the same volume, so “shouting” didn’t mean louder, just sharper and more commanding.  Gulls are surprisingly sensitive to the tone of human speech, even when the loudness stays the same.  Nearly half the gulls exposed to the shouting voice flew away within a minute.  Only 15 percent flew away when they heard the normal speaking voice and many walked away.  70 percent of gulls who heard the robin stayed exactly where they were. This is the first known study showing that wild animals can distinguish between different emotional tones in human speech. Dogs, pigs, and horses can do this, but it’s never been studied in seagulls. A future version of the study may test whether a woman’s voice works just as well, or perhaps even better.  It’s not often science gives us an excuse to yell in public, but in this case you can claim it’s for your own good.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.