"When faced with a choice between a box with eyes painted on it and a plain box, the gulls were slower to approach the box with eyes and less likely to peck at it."
"The findings show that the effect is sustained, with gulls remaining wary of the boxes with eyes on them, even after repeated exposure."
"Watchful eyes have also been shown to be a good deterrent in other situations, including keeping starlings away from crops and raptors away from airports."
"For bolder gulls, shouting has been shown to be a good deterrent."
Research indicates that painting eyes on takeaway boxes significantly deters gulls from stealing food. In experiments conducted in Devon and Cornwall, herring gulls were less likely to approach and peck at boxes with eyes compared to plain boxes. This deterrent effect persisted even after repeated exposure. Similar strategies have been effective in other contexts, such as keeping starlings away from crops and reducing predator attacks on livestock. However, some bolder gulls may still be deterred by loud noises.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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