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Seagulls and psychology: can the seagull 'menace' be controlled by psychology?



Seagulls have long been a problem in coastal Britain, with many calling them a menace. Can the seagull menace be controlled by psychology? In July 2015 I wrote about the British seagull culling debate due to attacks on pet animals, particularly in Cornwall. Seagulls are a protected species in England, but there was a need to control their attacking behaviour.

The Dispatch Tribunal (February 23, 2106) revealed that psychology may be the answer to the problem. Over the next 18 months researchers at the University of the West of England (UWE) will conduct a psychological evaluation of seagulls in order to understand their history, lives, and behaviour. They will also create a map of seagull interactions with humans in Bath and North East Somerset.

A focus of the study will be the nesting sites of seagulls, their feeding activity, and how people respond to them. Dr. Chris Pawson, head of psychology at UWE, said that council measures to detract seagulls over the past decade haven’t worked in tackling the seagull menace. The councils have tried the use of special rubbish bags which prevent seagulls from scavenging. They also tried a ‘dummy egg’ scheme, designed to fool seagulls into thinking they are nesting – which makes them quieter. But none of these methods were effective in mitigating the seagull menace.

Therefore they are trying a completely new approach. The approach will be based on strong evidence of seagull behaviour to gain a better understanding of their motivations for attacking pets and swooping on humans. Pawson said that seagull behaviour is similar to the principles of human behaviour – ‘humans make decisions based on the pressures of the environment around them’ – so maybe seagulls are making decisions based on their environment, including expanded urbanisation and easy food availability near humans.

The researchers will work with the Bath and North East Somerset Council to plot data on sophisticated maps, including matching seagulls’ nesting habits with residents’ complaints. People will be able to provide online information about seagull activity – and add their harassment complaints.


http://www.dispatchtribunal.com/scientists-to-tackle-seagull-menace-in-britain-through-psychology/15731/






MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).


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