In recent weeks, social media users have complained about aggressive birds that are either protecting their young or trying to snatch food from people. According to an expert, one way to protect yourself from attacks is to wear a hat with a pom-pom on top.
Each spring, people in Tallinn may come across gull chicks that have fallen from rooftops onto city streets. Protecting these chicks is the main reason people end up in conflict with gulls.
According to Meelis Uustal, head of the environmental protection department at the Tallinn Environment and Public Works Department, gulls have not become more aggressive in recent years.
“This is the same situation we see every spring. Gulls are nesting and their chicks may occasionally fall from rooftops onto city streets. Some parent birds then perceive an approaching pet or person as a threat and decide whether or not to make a mock attack,” Uustal said.
Bird ecologist Marko Mägi said gulls are highly intelligent birds. Living in urban environments, they have quickly learned where to find food and how to thrive alongside humans.
“Gull behavior is indeed very adaptable, especially in urban settings where conditions change rapidly. It would be foolish to think that a city bird that has lived here for several generations would not learn the ways of the city and become very good at finding feeding opportunities,” Mägi said.
This adaptability can sometimes be seen in rather unexpected situations.
“Not long ago in Tallinn, I personally saw a herring gull near the Estonia Theater trying to snatch a cellphone from a woman’s hand. The phone was in a beige case. I would not be surprised if the gull thought she was holding a slice of bread rather than a phone,” the bird ecologist explained.
According to Mägi, the diet of urban gulls is not limited to food stolen from people. In cities, they have also learned to use food sources that are not typically available in the wild.
“This is something characteristic of urban gulls. They have started catching pigeons and can indeed eat them because the herring gull is a fairly large bird and is capable of swallowing a pigeon. They do not behave this way in nature, but it is truly characteristic of urbanized gulls,” he said.
If you happen to encounter a gull chick on the street, Mägi recommends remaining calm, as parent birds protecting the chick may be keeping watch nearby.
“If you are willing to take the small risk that a gull might attack you, you can pick up the chick and move it elsewhere. Generally, it helps to raise something above your head. It can be an umbrella or a handbag because gulls attack the highest point. My recommendation during gull season has been for people to wear hats with pom-poms,” Mägi said.
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