Not Chicken related, but rather Seagulls

C

Cliodhna

New member
Joined
May 4, 2013
Messages
85
Reaction score
0
This isnt chicken related butI'm at my wits end and need some suggestions, I live on the coast and so I'm pretty used to herring gulls being around. However, we have one that keeps coming into the house and I dont know how to stop it. I've got the hosepipe next to the door and squirt it but it still sneaks in (often through the cat flat) and eats anything it can get.

Its certainly not starved and so isnt doing it out of desperation. I've tried shutting all the doors and windows (unbearable in this weather but we tried) and as soon as you open the door it flies in. It then wolfs down the cat food and vomits everywhere, or poops on the floor etc.

Its been going on for over a week and I can seem to deter it. The cats are scared of it and so they are of no help at all.

Any suggestions on how to deter this very determined animal!
 
Is there a local wildlife handling agency in your area? We have Fish and Game in my country, and there are wildlife rehabilitators who can capture injured, sick or otherwise wayward creatures, treat them for any health problems they might have, and release them back into the wild.

Can your local police department do anything? Is there a humane society nearby?

Yours is a very unusual problem, and one you shouldn't try to handle alone.
 
I contacted the RSPCA who said that they wouldn't be able to catch it because it can fly, and even if they did, when it was released it would come straight back. I contacted environmental health who said its a protected bird and so nothing they can do.
 
Sounds like typical political buck-passing.

Here's another option: Can you bait the bird into a humane trap (a cage with a trapdoor that slams shut once a bait wire is tripped), then take it as far away as possible so it can't find its way back, and release it?

Put some of that cat food it eats inside the trap. That should attract it.

As for the environmental group saying there's nothing they can do, for crying out loud! Nobody is advocating shooting the bird. If it's protected, all they have to do is capture and release it into an environment favorable to it, but a far enough distance away that it will no longer invade your home.

We have agencies like that here, too. They're either cowardly panty-waists who don't want to do their jobs, or they're tyrannical dictators who intrude on private property and harass innocent citizens who aren't harming anything.

We once had a large mama bear along our rural road who constantly got into the public dumpster and made huge messes all over the nearby landscape. She was a real threat to motorists who passed by the dumpster (unavoidable enroute to our main highway), especially to children and others on foot who needed to deposit trash in the bin. My hubby called Fish and Game to try to get the bear trapped and relocated, and they wouldn't lift a finger to help. Finally, we reminded them of how much they could get sued for if someone got injured or killed, then they got off their lazy kiesters and took care of it. We taxpayers pay their salaries, by the way.

Looks like you may be on your own, here. Good luck with trying to distract the bird.

This "can't do, won't do, won't even try" mentality these so-called public servants have these days really gets me riled. But just dare break one of their regulations and see how quickly they spring into action!
 
If its after the cat food then put it down twice a day for the cats and then immediately remove it so there is no food to attract it into the house, start locking or blocking your cat flap and go out via the other door. If all of this fails to deter it, then it may be time for it to find out the truth of most accidents happening inside the home.
 
I've started using the other door this morning, and so far, it is attacking the window of the door it uses, but hasnt figured out the other door yet.

This may not go down well, but do people think something like pepper spray would have a permanent affect on the bird?

I dont want to seriously hurt it, just put it off coming near my house. And thought maybe a squirt of pepper spray anytime it came near might be uncomfortable enough to make it think twice.
 
I should probably leave the pepper spray, firstly it's illegal to possess it in the UK and it is classed as a firearm believe it or not, so not the worth the potential bother and secondly if you did manage to hit the gull without it blowing back into your face I should imagine it would seriously damage it having seen the effect of it on humans.
 
Gosh, they used to sell it at my student's union (many moons ago).

It has just come in the other door, I grabbed the first thing to hand, which was air freshener and sprayed. It didnt seem to like it and went straight out again (previously it would have a quick scout round to grab what it could before leaving) so hopefully this might work.
 
Yes, mainly because they get so aggressive when they are nesting so I have the spikes to stop them nesting on the roof.
 
Is this bird a,n adult or one if this year's brood, Cliodnha? I just wondered if it was at the stage where its parents had left it to its own devices but had only taught it to scavenge from humans rather than to fish properly. The young ones have some brownish plumage compared with the smart white of adult herring gulls.
Like this http://uk.search.yahoo.com/tablet/s;_ylt=A6wVJSAMk5tOzEAAaAABAAAA?p=herring%20gulls%20juveniles%20images&fr2=sb-top&fr=ipad&rd=r1&pqstr=herring%20gulls%20juveniles%20images
 
Its an adult.

I havent seen it since the the air freshener incident so fingers crossed, although it has been raining here this afternoon so that might be something to do with it.

I think I will make up a spray bottle of water and maybe some chilli powder or pepper or something that it will not like the taste/smell of just in case it does come back.
 
I'm not sure that chilli will work; we used to add it to wild bird food as squirrels can taste it (and don't like it) whereas birds are apparently oblivious to it as they don't have a trigeminal nerve.

I still can't believe that herring gulls are protected!!! :-)09
 
What a nuisance just one bird can cause!! Who'd think they are protected, perhaps that's why there are so many of them!

Is there another bird society other than RSPB in your area? Might be worth finding out if there is, sometimes the smaller ones are more helpful. Or even a bird enthusiast who might have more ideas/equipment or whatever. Other than that I can only suggest hanging one of those bead curtains over your door, it might just deter it enough for it to get fed up & go elsewhere.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top