[James]

Apparently seagulls are a protected species.

The council here has messages on their vans telling people not to feed them.

They squawk all through the night at this time of year, as well as swooping down at people.

[Nicky91]

oh same with Pidgeons in my country, people are told not to feed them but most people at the beach feed them fries, pieces of bread buns

me and my parents actually have few wild pidgeons in our garden, they had built nests in our conifers, and they have a good water supply here, a pond and a water fountain

[James]

Picture I took a few weeks ago.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by James

Apparently seagulls are a protected species.

The council here has messages on their vans telling people not to feed them.

They squawk all through the night at this time of year, as well as swooping down at people.

I don't think seagulls are specifically a protected species... all wild birds are protected from "interference" in the UK so they'd fall under that.

Apparently the issue isn't actually increased numbers though - it's that they've moved away from nests on the coast due to falling numbers of fish, and into cities where food is abundant and easy to find. There's not a lot that can be done about it really.

[James]

This is what the RSPB says - 'Urban gulls and the law' - https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wi...s-and-the-law/

[Kazanne]

Maybe if people didn't leave their rubbish about and stop feeding them ,the gulls would not be so eager to congregate where humans are, at least it would help,the gulls don't know any different its just food to them.

[Ammi]

...I saw this article from the Independent from a few days ago...apparently bird attacks on humans are becoming more common...


https://www.independent.co.uk/news/s...-a9011066.html

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...I saw this article from the Independent from a few days ago...apparently bird attacks on humans are becoming more common...


https://www.independent.co.uk/news/s...-a9011066.html

"She also believes people are more aware of these interactions because they are being shared on social media"

[Twosugars]

Originally Posted by Amy Jade

If it was a micro teacup variety and very young they are tiny

Omg that is even smaller than I thought
The dog is a goner. The gull probably cracked its skull open with one good peck

[Amy Jade]

Yeah I agree its cruel

[AnnieK]

Birds are vicious...have you seen what magpies and the like do to lambs when they are first born?

Spoiler:

they peck their eyes out

. That's why farmers were so up in arms when the General Licence for shooting those birds was changed, in the middle of the lambing season.

Poor dog though, and the poor girl whose pet it was

[parmnion]

Now they're attacking humans! Angry seagulls are pictured dive-bombing beachgoers in Dorset

http://flip.it/9hq3YX

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by parmnion

Now they're attacking humans! Angry seagulls are pictured dive-bombing beachgoers in Dorset

http://flip.it/9hq3YX

This has been going on for a while but they're getting bolder in recent years. Their attacks can be quite vicious, too.

It's because of people feeding them though - years and years of people throwing chips up in the air for them to catch, so if they think someone has food they've essentially been trained to expect to be fed. If it isn't given voluntarily they'll try to take it by force.

That's one of the main reasons that councils say not to feed them. One person giving food gives them ideas . In theory if EVERYONE stopped doing it for 10 years or so, then it would fall out of "living seagull memory" and they might stop seeing humans as a food source. It's not really realistic though because of all of the drunks dropping chips accidentally on a Friday night.

[Denver]

Im all for saving the animals but seagulls shouldn't exist

[James]

There's usually a young seagull nearby when they start dive-bombing at people.

[Livia]

I like gulls.

[bitontheslide]

seagulls are vermin with wings. I've been to devon and had chips taken out of my hand by seagulls as i was eating. Also, the volume of crap they can dump is extraordinary

[Alf]

I'd happily fight a seagull for my fish.

[Ammi]

...the dog owner put on appeal/post on social media in case anyone found Gizmo...but she removed it again because of internet trolls../spiteful../..mocking comments...

[Twosugars]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...the dog owner put on appeal/post on social media in case anyone found Gizmo...but she removed it again because of internet trolls../spiteful../..mocking comments...

I know she hopes for a miracle but that's unlikely tbh

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Twosugars

I know she hopes for a miracle but that's unlikely tbh

..I guess she thinks that the gull may have dropped it and it be okay and someone taken it in...her thoughts are of the possible, rather than the likelihood, Twosugars...

[Kizzy]

I've been attacked twice, once in brid for a doughnut and in Whitby for half my fish!

They're getting too lazy to go out to sea and hunt.

[Nicky91]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...the dog owner put on appeal/post on social media in case anyone found Gizmo…but she removed it again because of internet trolls../spiteful../..mocking comments…

you got some real nasty people online honestly

[joeysteele]

They can be horrendous.
Farmers have told me of them attacking lambs.

It is quite frightening when they repeatedly circle then swoop down, just missing your head.

They are even worse if they have young, as they can nest more on the ground if necessary.
Get close to the young, you can be in trouble.

I've come across a good few saying they were getting more aggressive.

Hard to do but removing any easy food sources is necessary in part.
It's not new however.
As I child, I had one swoop down and tear off with my ice cream.

This incident with this pet is really tragic however.

[Twosugars]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I've been attacked twice, once in brid for a doughnut and in Whitby for half my fish!

They're getting too lazy to go out to sea and hunt.

Or maybe the waters are over overfished? Idk.