What Are Those Seagulls Doing in the Parking Lot? FROM SHORE TO STORE
If you walk through any suburban mall parking lot these days, you may encounter one of nature’s puzzles: Why are seagulls hanging out here? With no oceans nearby, no beaches, or no enticing seaside picnics, what attracts an ocean bird to a retail plaza?
Surprisingly, the gulls weren’t satisfied to scavenge for rubbish in trash cans and dumpsters. They were waiting patiently for humans to feed them deliberately. Scientists divided these bird-feeding humans into two groups: “casual feeders” who would toss a french fry out of the car window for the birds, and “dedicated feeders” who regularly drove to mall parking lots and served flocks of birds en masse by dumping big loads of bread and other food! While the gulls weren’t above dumpster diving, they preferred to await food deliveries from “their” humans. The scientists concluded that humans’ deliberate mass feedings encouraged the mass gull gatherings at malls around the country. Also, parking lots resemble the birds’ natural habitats in some ways. Gulls dislike having anything obstruct their flight path overhead or getting in the way. Various species will flock to almost any kind of open space, from baseball fields to landfills. Maybe that’s so they can dive-bomb picnickers below and swipe your toddler’s hot dog, or snatch that piece of pizza out of your hand. And while many dedicated feeders believe the gulls need their help to get enough to eat, scientists say that is just another trick these savvy birds play on us humans! They’re actually fully capable of foraging for themselves.
For many of the 50 species of seagulls, the name is a misnomer. While many species do stick to the coasts, a large number, including
a species known as the ring-billed gull, are just as happy living inland, especially in suburban parking lots! These gulls enjoy picking up human leftovers wherever they land, and shoppers exiting with mall food often leave an appetizing trail. But gulls aren’t craving just any food scraps. When scientists in Massachusetts studied suburban flocks of ring-billed gulls roosting on a drinking-water reservoir, they discovered the birds flocked during the day to a nearby shopping mall to eat.
The Road Back
Helping Accident Survivors Recover From Trauma
The aftermath of an auto accident can be a terrible time for survivors. They may be dealing with painful injuries or multiple surgeries, physical setbacks that are evident to everyone around them. Less obvious, however, are the profound psychological effects a violent vehicle crash can have on survivors. Some 40% of car and truck crash survivors suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after an accident, with symptoms for some lasting as long as three years, according to a recent international review of 96 studies encompassing more than 50,000 victims. Survivors also experience elevated rates of depression and anxiety, and many avoid driving or riding in vehicles for a long time afterward. Researchers found that even minor accidents have lasting psychological effects. These unseen wounds are too often overlooked by the insurers and physicians involved in managing crash survivors’ treatment and recovery. Yet therapy and healing of psychological damage from a crash are as important to a holistic recovery as patching up broken bones. The most effective therapies for PTSD include cognitive behavioral therapy, which identifies and challenges negative beliefs and fears related to the accident. Exposure therapy can also be helpful, including gradually revisiting reminders of the accident, with expert support, to reduce a victim’s fears over time. A newer method, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, involves guiding the victim’s eye movements while recalling elements of the crash, helping the brain re-process and reduce the lingering effects.
Group therapy with other crash survivors, mindfulness training, and medication for anxiety or depression are other treatments that have helped accident survivors make a full recovery. At our firm, we are committed to raising awareness of the mental-health burdens suffered by accident survivors and ensuring that our clients are supported in receiving the best, most holistic care possible. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a crash caused by another person’s negligence, contact us today for a free consultation. We will ensure that you receive the expert legal support you need to recover, not only from your physical injuries, but for the lingering effects of trauma as well!
KevinMcManusLaw.com • (816) 837-4433
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