عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Varieties

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
TT
TT

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.

Most Viewed

 
 
Varieties

Europe Braces for Prolonged Heatwave as Temperatures Approach 40C

People wait in the heat the arrival of guests of the Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
People wait in the heat the arrival of guests of the Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
TT
TT

Europe Braces for Prolonged Heatwave as Temperatures Approach 40C

People wait in the heat the arrival of guests of the Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
People wait in the heat the arrival of guests of the Prada's Spring/Summer 2027 men's collection presented in Milan, Italy, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)

A severe heatwave gripped much of Europe on Sunday, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), prompting nationwide warnings, transport disruption and signs of strain on wildlife and at tourist hotspots.

The heat surge on June 21, the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and typically the start of the three hottest months of the year, raised concerns of an early and persistent onset of extreme conditions.

After several days of temperatures above 35C, Italian authorities issued a red alert for June 21 in eight cities, including Bologna, Florence, Milan, and Turin.

In Rome, pilgrims in St Peter's Square used parasols and umbrellas to shield themselves from the blazing sun as the ‌Pope led a traditional ‌Sunday prayer from a window of the Apostolic Palace.

The spike in ‌temperatures ⁠is being driven ⁠by a mass of hot air moving north from the Sahara, fueled by a strong high-pressure system known as the "African anticyclone."

Meteorologists say the system is creating a so-called "heat dome," trapping hot air over western and central Europe and allowing temperatures to build day after day. Madrid residents and tourists used fans and drank plenty of cold drinks as they browsed the city's famous El Rastro flea market.

“I'm dressed all in white because it's so hot, and I'm carrying my little electric fan everywhere ⁠I go,” said Haily San Cesario, a 22-year-old engineer from Miami.

Spain's ‌AEMET weather agency issued red and orange alerts across several ‌regions, warning of temperatures exceeding 39 to 40 C across large parts of the Iberian Peninsula and ‌Mallorca, and said the heatwave would last at least until midweek.

TRAINS CANCELLED IN FRANCE

The extreme ‌heat has begun to disrupt infrastructure.

Speaking from Paris’ Gare Montparnasse station, SNCF chief Jean Castex said the rail network was “strongly impacted” by high temperatures that risk damaging overhead power lines and expanding tracks.

He said 3,500 staff had been mobilized to monitor the network and 2,000 more would conduct emergency repairs. He urged vulnerable ‌passengers to delay travel. The operator has cancelled 71 intercity trains until Monday on key routes.

In Germany, where temperatures have already reached ⁠as high as 38C, ⁠the DWD weather service warned of severe thunderstorms in eastern regions including Berlin, where heavy rain disrupted the open-air Fete de la Musique festival.

Organizers had to evacuate the grounds of the Berlin Open as heavy rain and strong winds set in, and as fans awaited the tennis tournament's singles final between Jessica Pegula of the US and Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic.

HEAT STRESS ON NESTLINGS

Wildlife rescuers are also reporting mounting pressure.

A center near the Belgian city of Namur said it had taken in around 150 heat-stressed animals in recent days, with young birds particularly at risk.

“Nestlings prefer to jump rather than let themselves die and literally cook in their nests,” said CREAVES founder Romain De Jaegere, adding that centers across Belgium were overwhelmed.

Experts say the situation reflects a broader trend, with heatwaves in Europe becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

Varieties

France Presses Ahead with Music Festivals Despite Extreme Heat

Two women walk in front of the sea at the beginning of the "Promenade des Anglais" on the French riviera city of Nice, on June 20, 2026. (AFP)
Two women walk in front of the sea at the beginning of the "Promenade des Anglais" on the French riviera city of Nice, on June 20, 2026. (AFP)
TT
TT

France Presses Ahead with Music Festivals Despite Extreme Heat

Two women walk in front of the sea at the beginning of the "Promenade des Anglais" on the French riviera city of Nice, on June 20, 2026. (AFP)
Two women walk in front of the sea at the beginning of the "Promenade des Anglais" on the French riviera city of Nice, on June 20, 2026. (AFP)

France on Sunday prepared to host its annual street music festival in boiling heat, with a third of the country placed on red alert and alcohol consumption banned.

Every year on June 21, musicians take over France, filling street corners and rooftops as revelers celebrate midsummer late into the night.

This year, however, the Fete de la Musique coincides with a ferocious heatwave, with a record 35 departments -- roughly a third of the country -- placed under the highest heat alert.

Weather service Meteo-France warned that temperatures could reach as high as 41C in some places.

While some cities have cancelled street events, celebrations in others - including Paris, Lyon and Strasbourg - will go ahead.

Last year, around two million people attended the festival in Paris alone, many of them travelling from Britain.

To ensure public safety, authorities will deploy 4,800 police officers and gendarmes, along with 2,500 firefighters, in and around the capital.

Gatherings along the lower banks of the Seine will be prohibited to reduce the risk of people falling into the water.

According to AFP estimates, around 53 million people in France will be affected by the heat on Sunday, with a further 45 departments under orange alert.

The number of departments on red alert has reached a record high, surpassing the previous peak of 20 recorded on July 24-25, 2019.

The Atlantic port city of Nantes is offering free access to swimming pools and museums until the end of the red alert period.

Varieties

After Samurai Blue Sweep Aside Tunisia, Japan Fans Clean Up Monterrey Stadium

A fan of Japan collects trash after the World Cup Group F match between Tunisia and Japan in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
A fan of Japan collects trash after the World Cup Group F match between Tunisia and Japan in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
TT
TT

After Samurai Blue Sweep Aside Tunisia, Japan Fans Clean Up Monterrey Stadium

A fan of Japan collects trash after the World Cup Group F match between Tunisia and Japan in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)
A fan of Japan collects trash after the World Cup Group F match between Tunisia and Japan in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP)

Japanese ‌fans celebrated their team's 4-0 victory over Tunisia in the 1,000th match in World Cup history on Saturday by staying behind at Monterrey’s stadium to collect rubbish from the stands.

The practice, known in Japan as gomi hiroi, reflects an emphasis on taking responsibility for shared spaces.

Ken Okawa, 30, said he was happy to bring this tradition to his very first World Cup match as he stooped down to collect discarded cups and other garbage ‌from the floor ‌around his seat.

"We are guests in ‌Mexico," ⁠he said. "I have ⁠been treated wonderfully, so this is my way of showing my appreciation."

The practice is instilled from a very young age in Japan, where schoolchildren are taught to clean up their own classrooms.

Miku Takeya, 41, said that the habit of tidying up after herself has become second ⁠nature.

"It's a natural part of our culture," she ‌said. "We do this to ‌ensure that everything we use is left clean so that the ‌next person can use it comfortably."

Images of Japanese ‌fans cleaning up in stadiums after Samurai Blue matches during this year's World Cup have gone viral.

Ahead of Saturday's match, Nuevo León Governor Samuel García said he had arranged for 20,000 ‌trash bags to be distributed in the stadium during the match, as well as ⁠at Fanfest ⁠and other tourist sites, following requests from Japanese fans, according to local media.

While this practice has captured global attention, many Japanese fans say it is nothing out of the ordinary for them.

"It's common sense in Japan," said Ichiro Oyo, 27.

Still, Ryo Matsuoka, 32, said he was proud to bring this part of Japanese culture to the world stage.

"I think it is a matter of great pride that this is being showcased in a stadium like this, where people from all over the world are watching," he said.