Factors associated with Herring Gulls Larus argentatus stealing food from humans in coastal towns

Abstract

Food stealing from humans by Herring Gulls Larus argentatus increased with human food availability but was not associated with any food preferences. Gulls obtained significantly more food when stealing than when scrounging, and the response of most people was neutral, suggesting that food stealing is a low-risk, high-reward strategy for urban Herring Gulls.