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Sussex seagulls 'dive-bombing' warning (From The Argus)
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Sussex seagulls 'dive-bombing' warning
8:00am Saturday 4th July 2009
Their squawking, attacking of black bin bags and overall presence tends to divide opinion.
Many people love the sight of seagulls in Sussex, while others would love to see the back of them.
Now a warning has been issued to watch out for ‘dive-bombing’ gulls and not to feed them from hand.
The advice, from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), comes as the birds are currently breeding.
RSPB spokeswoman Hester Phillips said: “Herring Gulls nest in May and June. Once hatched, parents will look after young for around six weeks. This means we are slap bang in breeding season now.
“A complaint against gulls is that they can 'dive-bomb' people, especially at this time of year.
“It's true that gulls will swoop to protect young and this can be distressing if it happens. But gulls don’t generally make contact with humans unless they have to, as nine out of ten times they'll come off worse.
“If you think about it, they are just trying to be good parents and protect their young. They can easily be scared away by waving your hands over your head, or holding an umbrella out above you.
“One bit of advice well worth heeding is not to feed gulls from your hand. This teaches gulls that it's okay to come near humans and might make them braver when they are protecting young.
“Keeping rubbish off the streets is another sure fire way to stop gulls from getting too near to humans.
“Above all, we'd ask people to be as tolerant as possible. Just like us, gulls are just trying to survive, and only exist in large numbers in places like Brighton as a result of human action.”
Although a common sight in coastal towns, the numbers of gulls has halved since the 1970s and they have now been put on the endangered birds list.
Gulls are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is illegal to intentionally damage or destroy a gull's nest site.
The Herring Gull is the most popular type of gull in Sussex.
Ms Phillips added: “If gulls are already nesting on your roof and are genuinely causing problems it's unfortunately too late to do anything about it this year but once the breeding season is over, deterrents which stop gulls from landing on your roof in the first place are the best option.”
Tim McKenzie, from National Gull Rescue, told The Argus if anyone comes across a stranded baby gull which had fallen off their roof then the best course of action would be to try and place it back onto a roof near its parents.
He said: “If that is not possible then people can call National Gull Rescue on 07765 114599.”
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Your Say YourArgus
Old Ladys Gin, Shoreham says...
8:09am Sat 4 Jul 09
Given the filthy state of many streets, unwashed and littered. I am sure these birds are having a field day.
jonathon, Brighton says...
8:56am Sat 4 Jul 09
Old Ladys Gin wrote:I could not agree more. People who leave their rubbish out overnight should be fined. I suppose the only other answer to the rubbish problem is for people to take it to St James Street in Brighton and leave it there. It will blend in with the drunks, druggies and beggars as well as all the other rubbish in the street but not near Starbucks it is my favourite coffee house. On the other hand we could shoot the bloody things, the seagulls, not the drunks, druggies or beggars, oh I don't know though.
“Keeping rubbish off the streets is another sure fire way to stop gulls from getting too near to humans' Given the filthy state of many streets, unwashed and littered. I am sure these birds are having a field day.
S.T. Rewth, Brighton says...
9:17am Sat 4 Jul 09
Gulls also kill the young of other birds.
If a dog attacked for any reason it would be put down.
John Rambo., Worthing says...
9:46am Sat 4 Jul 09
On_the_Level, Brighton says...
10:02am Sat 4 Jul 09
John Steed, worthing says...
10:06am Sat 4 Jul 09
as to numbers halving that is a statement I would challenge, worthing can be like a scene out of the birds each morning as they swoop on all the uneaten takeaway rubbish, and all around the town as they prey on black bags, and I have seen them open wheely bin lids
as to many people love the sight of the gulls lets be picky again whilst dining at the Black Rabbit the other weekend I enjoyed watching a few blackheaded gulls, maybe because they do not screech outside my window at 4 in the morning or C@ap on my car all the time
Me & my companion also thought the admission price to the RSPB reserve by the Arun was seriously overpriced so we gave it a miss cheaper and healthier to just walk around it, still see the same birds.
seagull free holidays go to italy
John Steed, worthing says...
10:13am Sat 4 Jul 09
Here is abetter bit of advice, unless experienced and in possesion of proper ladders and equipment, or you are the proud owner of a cherry picker DO NOT ATTEMPT to climb onto your roof with a seagull chick, this course of action could well be an serious accident waiting to happen.
leave it on the ground and let the foxes have some fun
andygunner, brighton says...
11:58am Sat 4 Jul 09
yes we all want to look like idiots waving hands above our heads and I always keep my umbrella up whenever im outside, especially when its a nice day.......
boblat, Brighton says...
12:09pm Sat 4 Jul 09
Maybe you fkn miseries should go and live in a cave and be eaten by BATS.
Or London and get covered in Pigeon sht.
If you can't live with Nature, don't live!
SimonS, Hailsham says...
1:44pm Sat 4 Jul 09
kkj, Brighton says...
2:17pm Sat 4 Jul 09
John Steed wrote:Lousy grammar?
the herring gull is the most popular type of gull. lousy grammer that, surely it should be populous, meaning there is more of them, I have yet to meet anyone who likes them, noisy filthy vermin it should be an offence to let them nest on your property, it is offensive to your neighbours
as to numbers halving that is a statement I would challenge, worthing can be like a scene out of the birds each morning as they swoop on all the uneaten takeaway rubbish, and all around the town as they prey on black bags, and I have seen them open wheely bin lids
as to many people love the sight of the gulls lets be picky again whilst dining at the Black Rabbit the other weekend I enjoyed watching a few blackheaded gulls, maybe because they do not screech outside my window at 4 in the morning or C@ap on my car all the time
Me & my companion also thought the admission price to the RSPB reserve by the Arun was seriously overpriced so we gave it a miss cheaper and healthier to just walk around it, still see the same birds.
seagull free holidays go to italy
Pot, kettle, black!
Granny, Brighton says...
2:19pm Sat 4 Jul 09
yorkie44, Woodingdean says...
5:03pm Sat 4 Jul 09
S.T. Rewth wrote:Dogs are pets and the owners are responsible for them. There is a big difference.
Gulls are not easily scared off and can be VERY persistant when they attack. They also vomit or cr@p whilst attacking. This from experience not hearsay. Gulls also kill the young of other birds. If a dog attacked for any reason it would be put down.
S.T. Rewth, Brighton says...
5:23pm Sat 4 Jul 09
yorkie44 wrote:Like what?
S.T. Rewth wrote: Gulls are not easily scared off and can be VERY persistant when they attack. They also vomit or cr@p whilst attacking. This from experience not hearsay. Gulls also kill the young of other birds. If a dog attacked for any reason it would be put down.Dogs are pets and the owners are responsible for them. There is a big difference.
Totally Provincial, Lancing says...
5:47pm Sat 4 Jul 09
Totally Provincial, Lancing says...
5:48pm Sat 4 Jul 09
UglyAmerican, Hotlanta says...
8:22pm Sat 4 Jul 09
Just sayin'.
David Robert, says...
2:25am Sun 5 Jul 09
If people find them a nuisance, simply don't encourage them with human litter.
dmj1962, Brighton says...
5:23pm Tue 7 Jul 09
So, keep your rubbish off the streets and beware nesting gulls for the next few weeks...
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Old Ladys Gin, Shoreham says...
8:07am Sat 4 Jul 09