Why you should be IMPRESSED when seagulls steal your chips: Scientists claim birds should be seen as...

Seagulls are being forced into urban areas by the loss of their natural spaces. Experts say we should see their food-stealing tactics as a sign of intelligenceNothing ruins a relaxing trip to the seaside quite like a seagull swooping in and stealing your chips.That's according to scientists from the University of Sussex, who claim that the birds should be seen as 'charismatic' and not 'criminal'.

READ MORE: Seagulls remember where they ate fish and chips from and travel miles to visit specific shops Advertisement Professor Graham explains how seagulls are being forced into urban areas by the loss of their natural spaces.However, in busy cities, the birds face new challenges, having been forced to adapt to life alongside humans.

The team took to Brighton's seafront, where they positioned one blue crisp packet and one green crisp packet in the immediate vicinity of both individual and groups of herring gulls.The researchers found that the gulls would turn their heads to watch the experimenter and, in most cases, then pecked at the matching crisp packet to attempt to find food.

READ MORE: Seagulls in the south of Britain are bolder about stealing food, study finds Advertisement This suggests that the birds can learn to mimic the food choices of humans - a key sign of intelligence.

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