Although Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is a game full of Easter eggs, some are harder to find than others. Case in point: players can shoot down flying seagulls to knock out guards standing underneath them.

In MGS2, guards can be knocked out by falling seagulls. This may be your only alternative if you have forgotten your PSG1-T at the sniping section with Emma & are going for a non-lethal run. pic.twitter.com/PH2nCt3k15
— BadHumans (@BadHumans) August 5, 2024

This mechanic provides extra non-lethal options when exploring the game’s outdoor sections. Since many players like going for no-kill runs in stealth games, they can go the extra mile and tranquilize (or kill) some seagulls so that they drop on unsuspecting foes. It isn’t the most efficient way to take down guards (you’ll need to study the seagulls’ flight patterns or get extremely lucky), but the option is there nonetheless for when you need to wing it. As mentioned in the X post above, you can also shoot down seagulls so that they fall on the guards blocking Emma’s path in the infamous sniper section of the game. It’s almost like killing two birds with one stone, only without the killing aspect.

This isn’t the only seagull-related Easter egg in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. If you repeatedly attack or kill seagulls, you will get an angry Codec call from Colonel Campbell and Rosemary. Continuing to attack seagulls 20 times will cause nearby seagulls to retaliate against the player unless they have the Zone of the Enders cardboard box item equipped (this is a nod to the notion that birds are generally afraid of big eyes – which can be found on the Zone of the Enders box). It’s also hard to forget the well-known Easter egg in which you can slip and fall on seagull poop on certain sections of the Big Shell (something that Raiden haters probably enjoy making him do).

It’s amazing how Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty can still surprise people 23 years after its initial release; even if the surprise involves harming defenseless animals to complete a sneaking mission. Here’s hoping that Konami continues the franchise’s penchant for Easter eggs in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 1 is available on PS4/PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series S|X and PC (Steam).