In a seaside town in Belgium, the loudest event this weekend was not the crashing waves but a room full of humans aggressively impersonating seagulls. The European Seagull Screeching Championship, held in De Panne, attracted over 70 participants from 15 countries, all vying to sound like the ultimate fry-snatching menace.
Turning a Pub into a Bird Call Arena
The contest took place inside a local pub, transformed into a full-blown bird call arena. Contestants of all ages, many dressed in seagull-themed outfits, stepped up to unleash their best coastal chaos. Each performance was met with cheers, proving that nothing unites people quite like committed nonsense. Judging was serious: participants could earn up to 15 points for accuracy and five for performance. Surprisingly, this was not a new event. The sixth edition demonstrated that the world's appetite for avian roleplay is strangely unstoppable. While some see seagulls as a nuisance, Belgium hears a symphony.
Rebranding the Seagull, One Screech at a Time
Beyond the noise and novelty, the event has a surprisingly wholesome goal: fixing the image of seagulls, often branded as seaside troublemakers. Organizers hope that by celebrating their iconic calls, people might start appreciating them more. "When you are on holiday, you always remember the waves of the sea and the calls of the seagulls," said organizer Claude Willaert, as reported by Reuters. "So be positive about them."
