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British seagulls 'getting drunk' due to weird eating habit in blistering heatwave

Seagulls have been seen staggering around numerous costal towns after gorging on flying ants, with experts suggesting the birds may be getting 'drunk' from formic acid released by the insects

[An image depicting a seagull standing on a rocky surface, casting a shadow to the right. The bird has a white body, gray wings, and pink legs.]

Seagulls have been spotted swaying in costal towns (Stock)(Image: Humphrey Nemar)

Seagulls have been getting "drunk" after munching on flying ants, according to a theory shared by one expert.

The menacing birds have been feasting on the insects which have become active in the excessive summer heat. The seagulls have been spotted wobbling about Suffolk coastal towns Lowestoft and Aldeburgh. Dr Viola Ross-Smith, from the British Trust for Ornithology, suggests the gulls are intoxicated by an acid released by the ants.

The ants discharge formic acid as a form of defence when under threat and consuming sufficient ants will cause the birds to become unsteady on their feet due to the overload. Dr Ross-Smith said: "Ants produce formic acid and because it's a mild toxin, the gulls can act a bit woozy and come across as drunk. The hypothesis is the formic acid is affecting them as ethanol affects us."

[Seagulls have been seen staggering around Suffolk coastal towns (file image)]

Seagulls have been seen staggering around Suffolk coastal towns (file image)(Image: Humphrey Nemar)

Flying ants are particularly active around mid-July when they form new colonies as their queens emerge from underground. Dr Ross-Smith said: "It is just a hypothesis at the moment. Some say the birds might be so distracted by the food source they're not paying attention. Or that they are overwhelmed by the food.

"You do see blankets of gulls walking in the road and staggering around on the pavement, getting in the way of cars. Usually they're bold birds who don't shy away from humans. I would really love for someone to test the theory and see if formic acid is making the gulls drunk," reports the Mirror.

Dr Ross-Smith has stated the public should not worry if they spot a dazed bird, but should seek assistance if a gull appears unwell. She added: "They're taking the opportunity to gorge on the insect protein. We're happy to let nature get on with it."

The development comes after warnings from experts who have stated great white sharks and jellyfish could be popping up in British waters as the ocean warms. Climate change may see wildlife move to find better conditions, possibly leading to massive changes in the seaside experience.

Jim Dale, an oceanographer and founder of British Weather Services, told the Daily Mirror: We're bound to see species die, and species pop up that ordinarily weren't there before." As sea temperatures rise, different species migrate to find the temperature of water they prefer, meaning animals like the great white shark and box jellyfish may find their way to the UK.

Dale stated: For example, cod like cold water, so they tend to drift further north. Jellyfish like warm water, so we're swapping cods for jellyfish. He added: "The threat has to be there as our oceans and seas warm. It won't be just great whites either; it'll be hammerheads and others.

"Everything that's in the Mediterranean, everything that's in and around the Canaries, they will be attracted to some of the foods that are in our seas. So the migration of these species, of the great whites and even box jellyfish, will increasingly affect us."

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