Despite their reputation as garbage pandas in the bird world, seagulls are something of a master of evolution. They can survive and thrive alongside humans. wonderful memorysome have been observed bait fish using scraps of bait How primates use tools. Gull species that have larger brains and are more likely to nest on coastal cliffs may also be better suited to breeding in urban environments.
a The study was published April 25 in the journal Frontiers of ecology and evolution Researchers have found that more than half of the seagull species that nest on cliffs and also in cities and towns have larger brains. Species such as herring gulls, herring gulls, and black-headed gulls may have flexible behaviors that allow them to nest in more difficult locations, such as rooftops.
“Many people will be familiar with the fact that seagulls nest and forage in urban areas,” said study co-author Madeline, a postdoctoral researcher specializing in herring gulls at the University of Exeter in the UK. Gomas says. stated in a statement. “This is not something you would expect from seabirds, so we wanted to understand why they do what they do.”
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inside studyThe researchers scoured various research databases to find records of urban gull breeding and foraging, as well as data on brain size for each species. Next, they mapped the range of the different species present.
Of the 50 gull species, 13 species were recorded to use urban areas to breed and 13 species to use urban areas to forage. Nine species were bred and fed in built-up environments.
Comparing reproductive figures with known bird habits and brain size, they found the following: 10 of 19 species of seagulls nest on cliffs (53%) also nest in urban areas. Of the species that do not normally nest on cliffs, only three of his 28 species (11%) nested in both spaces.
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“Gull species with large brains are more likely to nest on cliffs, and species that nest on cliffs are more likely to breed in urban areas,” study co-author Nieltje Bugert, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Exeter, said in a statement. I understand,” he said. stated in a statement. “We also found that cliff nesting was probably a relatively recent adaptation, as it was not common to gull ancestors.”
They also point out that this is not the case. fixed or instinctive behavior In most seagulls. Gull species that do not nest on cliffs nest exclusively on the ground, but most of the species that most traditionally nest on cliffs can nest in both spaces.
“This suggests that gulls’ larger brains allow them to be more flexible in their choice of nesting locations, allowing them to use unconventional locations such as buildings to raise their young,” Goumas said. Stated.
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When it comes to foraging, the researchers found that neither brain size nor wing shape are good indicators of gull behavior in urban environments. The research team also investigated the situation of seagulls. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Gulls with stable or increasing populations were more than twice as likely to be observed in urban habitats than those with declining populations. Of the 10 endangered or near-threatened species, kittiwake gull They were known to take advantage of urban space.
Observing how gulls function in areas with high concentrations of humans and buildings is important for conservation. By looking at what factors allow some companies to survive and thrive while others don’t, you can learn why some companies don’t do well.
“Urbanization is a big problem for many animals,” says Goumas. “Some species of gulls seem to have managed to overcome some of the challenges that prevent other animals from using urban areas, but to fully understand the effects of urban life, longer-term Further studies and comparative studies with other taxa are needed.”
