Buzz
Whether you're living in or visiting a coastal area, chances are you'll be sharing space with seagulls. While these birds are usually harmless, they can sometimes exhibit aggressive behavior, especially when defending their young or when they’ve grown too accustomed to scavenging from humans. Understanding their habits and taking simple precautions can help reduce unwanted interactions and ensure a peaceful coexistence.
Guidelines
Dealing with Food-Seeking Seagulls
Securely dispose of waste in covered bins. This helps deter seagulls from rummaging through trash. Always ensure bin lids are tightly closed and avoid overloading them.
- If you must leave garbage in bags, check with local waste services to see if they offer protective coverings to prevent seagulls from tearing into them.
- Set your trash out as close to pickup time as possible to reduce the window of opportunity for scavenging wildlife.
Survey your surroundings for gulls before settling down to eat outdoors. Check nearby railings, posts, and rooftops for any seagulls that appear to be watching the area. If you notice any lingering birds, stay alert or consider choosing a different location to enjoy your meal.
- For instance, if you're dining on a seaside boardwalk, scan for gulls perched nearby that seem to be waiting for an opportunity to snatch food.
- Have an alternative spot in mind in case seagulls begin to approach aggressively.
Position yourself against a wall or solid structure when dining outside. This setup helps you keep an eye on any seagulls nearby, allowing you to react if they start closing in on your meal. Avoid turning your back on them to ensure you stay aware of their movements.
- For example, if you’re sitting at an outdoor café, choose a seat near the building's exterior wall, facing outward to monitor your surroundings.
Maintain eye contact if a gull approaches while you’re eating. Lock eyes with any seagull that starts moving toward you. A direct stare can sometimes discourage them from attempting to grab your food.
- If this tactic fails, try shielding your food, pulling it closer to you, or relocating to a different spot to avoid persistent gulls.
Keep your food concealed while walking near seagulls. Store food in closed containers inside a bag and keep it close to your body to minimize visibility. Only open food packaging when you're ready to eat.
- Avoid carrying an open food item, such as a box of fries. Instead, keep it covered until you reach a safe eating area.
- If you're holding an exposed snack like an ice cream cone or a pastry, keep it close rather than extending it outward, reducing the risk of a gull swooping in.
Dispose of food waste immediately and correctly. Properly discard food scraps and containers in designated bins as soon as you finish eating. Avoid littering or feeding seagulls.
- If you work at a café or restaurant with outdoor seating, promptly clear away leftover food and dishes after guests leave to prevent attracting scavenging gulls.
How to Defend Against Nesting Seagulls
Listen for a deep, squawking call as a signal of an impending attack. Gulls will issue a loud, low-pitched squawk to warn you away if they’re defending their nest or chicks. Stay alert when you’re in areas with seagulls, and be prepared to hear this warning sound.
- If you're unfamiliar with this particular sound, you may miss it the first time you hear it. If you don’t hear the warning, the gull might start swooping toward you without actually making contact.
- To get accustomed to the sound, you can look for audio recordings online.
- The gulls' breeding period generally runs from March to September, so exercise extra caution during this time.
If you hear the warning squawk or see a gull swooping at you, move away immediately. Retrace your steps until the gull stops following you or the squawking sound ceases. Choose a different route to bypass the nesting area.
- Failing to heed these warnings could result in the gull becoming more aggressive, swooping closer and even scraping your head with its feet.
Shield your head by raising your arms if a gull begins swooping toward you. Keep your arms above your head in a protective stance, but avoid waving them around. Retreat from the area until the bird halts its attack.
- Waving your arms may provoke the gull further, escalating the situation. It's better to defend yourself calmly and retreat to safety.
If you're unable to avoid aggressive gulls, wear a hat and carry an umbrella. In cases where nesting gulls are near your home, it may be unavoidable to come into conflict with a protective parent. Put on a hat to shield your head and carry an umbrella, using it as protection if a gull becomes too aggressive.
- Seagull chicks typically stay in the nest for about 5-6 weeks. After they leave, the parents are much less aggressive, so this measure won’t be necessary forever.
Keeping Seagulls Away from Your Property
Use reflective materials to discourage gulls. Hang reflective tape, streamers, or similar shiny objects in areas where you want to prevent gulls from gathering. The glare and movement can confuse them, prompting them to move elsewhere.
- Other effective deterrents include suspending old CDs with string or applying optical fire gel to surfaces.
Place decoys of natural gull predators around your property. Set up fake owls or hawks in strategic locations, such as hanging owl-face balloons or installing owl masks. You can also invest in decorative lawn ornaments shaped like predatory birds.
- Additional deterrents include hawk-shaped kites and decoy coyotes, which can create the illusion of an active predator presence.
Install physical barriers like wires, spikes, and nets to deter perching. Use plastic or metal spikes on chimneys and roof ridges to discourage gulls from landing. Surround vulnerable areas with wires or nets to prevent nesting.
- For example, placing a continuous strip of spikes along the roof peak can effectively block gulls from roosting.
Hire a professional falconer to deploy trained birds of prey. Some falconers offer hawk or falcon services to scatter large gull populations in problem areas. Research local falconers and inquire about their availability.
- Be aware that if gulls don’t retreat quickly enough, the raptor may kill one.
- This is an ongoing service, requiring repeated visits to maintain effectiveness.
- Expect to pay approximately $55 per hour for this professional service.
-
Steer clear of dining outdoors in areas heavily populated by seagulls. Before you know it, you could find yourself surrounded by a flock of aggressive birds eager to snatch a bite of your meal!
Important Warnings
- Never offer food to seagulls, as this conditions them to associate humans with easy meals, fostering aggressive behavior.
