Why Seagulls are the Noisiest among Birds?

A seagull picks up crumbs near the harbour in Sydney. Photo: AFP
A seagull picks up crumbs near the harbour in Sydney. Photo: AFP
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Why Seagulls are the Noisiest among Birds?

A seagull picks up crumbs near the harbour in Sydney. Photo: AFP
A seagull picks up crumbs near the harbour in Sydney. Photo: AFP

Once the domain of the seaside, seagulls are becoming more commonplace inland now – with the number of urban gull colonies in the UK having doubled over the past couple of decades.

Councils as far as 40 miles from the sea have been warning about the birds in recent years, which are believed to be attracted to urban areas because of the abundance of food waste. Aside from being potentially aggressive, they can also be pretty noisy, even more so at this time of year. Just why are seagulls so loud? There are a number of reasons why seagulls make a whole lot of noise – although one of the main factors is to protect their nests from potential predators. Seagulls are, for obvious reasons, very protective of their young, and will make as much noise as possible to ward folks off their nests, according to The Metro.

Since they tend to build these in high-up environments, they can often be close to roofs or near the windows of houses, bringing them into closer contact with people, which can add to the din as they attempt to ward intruders off.

Meanwhile, their offspring also add to the din, calling to their parents to be fed, resulting in the adult gulls trying to gather as much food as they can for their young – which in turn can lead to them becoming more vicious as well as making a lot of noise. Seagulls can be particularly loud at this time of year because their chicks are getting ready to leave the nest. It is also mating season for the birds – which runs from April until September – as well as nesting season, which begins a month earlier.

Seagulls tend to return to the same nesting site every year, with pairs of birds building nests from twigs, grass, straw, paper and anything else they can find – while they will also mate several times a year to ensure success in producing a new brood.

Gulls normally lay eggs around April or May time, which hatch a few weeks later – and while their young normally take a few years to begin breeding their own families, they tend to return to the same nesting site when they do.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) says on its website that the best course of action with a seagull's nest is to leave it alone – while the best way of discouraging gulls from nesting near your property is to reduce available food sources and attractiveness of nesting sites.



Dwarf Bees Spotted in Saudi Arabia's Northern Borders Region

Dwarf bees are known for their remarkable ability to withstand extreme heat. SPA
Dwarf bees are known for their remarkable ability to withstand extreme heat. SPA
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Dwarf Bees Spotted in Saudi Arabia's Northern Borders Region

Dwarf bees are known for their remarkable ability to withstand extreme heat. SPA
Dwarf bees are known for their remarkable ability to withstand extreme heat. SPA

The Northern Borders region of Saudi Arabia has witnessed the emergence of the dwarf honey bee (Apis florea) in several locations in the city of Arar, with experts attributing it to the growing number of nature reserves and the resurgence of diverse native flora in the region, The Saudi Press Agency reported Sunday.

The dwarf bee, typically found alongside larger bee species like the giant honey bee and the eastern honey bee, constructs small, open-air combs no larger than a human palm. These combs yield a modest amount of honey, usually less than 500 grams, SPA said.
Despite their diminutive size, dwarf bees are known for their remarkable ability to withstand extreme heat, often thriving in temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius. This unique characteristic sets them apart from other bee species and makes them well-suited to low-lying areas, the news agency added.