Seagulls are famous for wanting to steal our food. It is not coincidence, but rather a premeditated choice made after carefully observing humans, because they are intelligent enough to draw such conclusions, according to a study carried out by researchers at the University of Sussex (United Kingdom).
This study found that this cheeky feature is a sign of intelligence, as these birds can learn to mimic humans' food choices. "While we know that animals learn from each other, rarely do we see animals learning from a totally different species when it comes to food preferences," says Paul Graham, professor of neuroethology at the University of Sussex.
The authors studied how seagulls in Brighton can learn and apply knowledge of what interests humans, known as "stimulus enhancement." They did this by analyzing color and using a packet of potato chips.
Two different colored packages (blue and green) were placed in the vicinity of individuals and groups of herring gulls along the Brighton city seafront. Nearby, a person ate from one or the other.
The researchers discovered that the gulls turned their heads to look at that person. In most cases, when finished, these birds would peck at the corresponding packet of chips to try to find food.
“We found that a demonstrator eating significantly increased the likelihood that a seagull would peck at one of the featured items. In addition, 95% of the pecks were directed towards the presented food that matched the color of the demonstrator's food”, they point out in their study, published in Biology Letters.
According to the researchers, the analysis shows that the gulls observe humans and the food choices they select. Furthermore, they use that knowledge to determine their own food choices.
"This interaction with humans is relatively modern, and what we can see is that gulls have adapted to thrive in urban environments by mimicking humans' food choices," Graham said.
It is not a matter of these birds liking French fries, but rather "they have had to learn to interact with humans to obtain food. Therefore, it is a sign of intelligence."
