Worth a shout? Yelling is best way to deter gulls, UK study suggests

Animal behaviourists tested 61 gulls in Cornwall to find most effective method of countering feathery threat

Some people respond to the unwanted attentions of a gull eyeing up a bag of chips or a Cornish pasty by frantically flapping their hands at the hungry bird while others beat a rapid retreat into the nearest seaside shelter. But researchers have found that a no-nonsense yell - even a relatively quiet one - may be the best way to get rid of a pesky herring gull.

Animal behaviourists from the University of Exeter tried to establish the most effective method of countering a feathery threat by placing a portion of chips in a place where gulls were bound to find them.