Gulls in the city have favourite fast food joints

COMPLAINTS of noisy crowds outside pubs at closing time are nothing new.

Now research suggests urban seagulls have joined the mob – after learning to linger outside bars and takeaways where the richest pickings are on offer.

Scientists say the birds have adapted to city life, heading to the most popular fast food joints where they know plenty of leftovers will be dropped.

Their study also showed seagulls not only like their fish battered, but have developed a taste for chicken and ribs.

Gull populations have soared in urban areas as a result of erratic bin collections, cuts to street-cleaning budgets and the explosion in the number of takeaways.

Experts noticed that hoards of squawking birds descended on certain restaurants and bars at night. They often congregated on roofs – dubbed ‘urban cliffs’ – and waited until food was dropped or left behind, swooping in to gobble up leftovers.

The study in Bath also examined the contents of seagull nests. In just one, experts found more than 40 bones – some from junk food – along with plastic forks and spoons, rubber bands and human hair.

Project leader Dr Chris Pawson, from the University of the West of England, said: ‘They are not arriving on the dot every night, but they know which places there is likely to be more food dropped.

‘They start to congregate at about 8.30pm and their numbers are largest at about 9.45pm or 10pm. They wait for people to drop food – but we are getting increasing anecdotal evidence that they are coming down and taking it out of people’s hands.

‘We have seen them feeding their young entire chicken breasts.’

Information from the study, which began in March and finishes next year, will be handed to the local council to help officials control the gull population.