Seagull Screeching in Belgium drew 60 mimics from 14 nations to De Panne for the Fifth Annual Championship, where adult, junior, and colony contestants vied for the loudest gull impression. Denmark’s Anna Brynald snagged gold, declaring, “They’re just a bit misunderstood, like me.”

Contestants, including 10-year-old Cooper Wallace—junior champion for the second year—battled for avian glory. The event’s quirky mission: boost the gull’s image from ‘beach rat’ to beloved bird. “I’ll need some more feathers,” Brynald mused for next year.

One zoo in England hires people in inflatable eagle suits just to scare off gulls.