Seagulls have been spotted ransacking lunch at every inch of center court. But why only lunch? Well, as it turns out, these seagulls even know the exact time lunch begins at Mills  because of patterns. They get out during lunch because it’s when trash gets thrown around, along with crumbs or wrappers.

The seagulls that are often spotted around lunch are said to “get in the way sometimes,” Alexandra Picasso (11) mentioned as she was describing her experience eating outside. These seagulls are also notorious for targeting people by pooping on people as a way to mark their territory, often driving people to not sit outside. It’s a way to mark their food or to get out of their territory.

These seagulls are clever birds. They’re known to have excellent eyesight, meaning they see that sandwich from a mile away. They can also recognize routine, which ties to the idea of them timing lunch time during school, often hanging out around people who are eating. Seagulls often learn patterns and strategies, like waiting for people to drop their food or crumbs. This is why there are so many of them sitting around center court.

To other students, it doesn’t really disrupt them, as Lulu Emraan (11) explains, “Honestly, it doesn’t bother me.” So to some people, these seagulls are just trying to find something to eat, as they are also known to be big eaters and will eat anything they find. They are also often very aggressive when around food and often act defensively as a way to protect their food. With this being said, if you even encounter one, don’t take its food.

As they are also known for their alleged crazy behavior, it’s mostly them acting on instinct. A way of thinking about it is as a form of survival, but sometimes the trash that’s left outside is the main reason that harms them, causing them to be malnourished because the food does not carry the nutrients they need to survive.

By all means, these seagulls are just here to eat with us, so we can try to co-eat with them. As they are also very social, they go in packs and alarm each other when there is food. They are also very adaptable birds, often adjusting to the ambiance that surrounds them as well as their food patterns.So remember to pack that food in a container, don’t leave any crumbs, and clean up after yourself.