In seaside towns all across the United Kingdom, authorities have posted signs warning people against feeding seagulls. The theory is that years of being fed by the public has encouraged the gulls’ aggressive behavior, including acts of outright food theft.

Nevertheless, researchers suggest a new, simple way to deter theft from the flying scavengers --staring at them. According to Madeleine Goumas herring gulls took on average 21 seconds longer to approach a bag of potato chips while a human test subject stared at them.

Goumas said, “Gulls are often seen as aggressive and willing to take food from humans. So it was interesting to find that most wouldn’t even come near during our tests. Of those that did approach, most took longer when they were being watched.”

Potential preaching angles: 1) Sin; Omniscience of God - Wrongdoers tend to back away when they know they're being watched. God is the ultimate all-seeing eye, and does not turn a blind eye to evil. 2) Satan; Spiritual Warfare – We must also be on guard at all times for the attacks of Satan who is always lurking.