Seagulls are so annoying. How do you get rid of them at your home or business? This article will give you a few methods to get rid of seagulls near your property.
The first step in solving your seagull problem is determining how big the problem is. There are three levels of seagull problem: small, medium, and large. The solution to your seagull problem will depend on which level problem you are dealing with.
The first type of seagull problem is a small seagull problem. This means there are a few birds in the area occasionally, but not all the time. This type of problem is usually the easiest to get rid of. Here even small things like setting up scarecrows, fake owls, or hanging up colorful terror eyes can deter a few birds coming here and there. If the gulls are getting into a food source like trash, do your best to cover it up and remove that food source for the gulls. Having a consistent food source is how seagull problems get bigger.
The next type of gull problem is a medium-level seagull problem. This means there are more birds in the area, they are there more consistently or all the time, but they have not nested yet. Usually, if a problem gets to this level, it is because something is attracting gulls to the area. Most often it is a food source.
The most important step to take in a medium-sized seagull problem is removing the gulls’ source of food. This could be food from the trash, discarded food left behind, and food intentionally fed to the gulls. To block off seagulls here, replace open trash containers with covered trash containers, clean up all discarded food frequently, and remind people not to feed the birds.
One slightly less common source of food that seagulls can also get into is pet food for dogs or cats. If the gulls are eating from this, it is best to move your pets’ source of food inside.
You can also install bird deterrent devices to stop gulls from hanging around the area. These types of devices include bird spikes and bird wire. They physically block birds from being able to perch on places like AC units, windows, signs, fences, and more.
Bird netting is another great option for keeping seagulls out. This is especially true for potential nesting areas, like on rooftops or near trash areas. Keeping birds from out of these types of locations is another top priority, because bird problems tend to get worse if the birds are able to nest in one of these places.
The next level of seagull problem is a large-scale infestation. In this type of problem, there are seagulls at all times and the birds have nested nearby. This is the most difficult type of seagull problem to get rid of. Once birds have nested, they become very attached to the area. They do not want to have to leave.
The best way to solve a large-scale bird infestation is to exclude them from all food sources and block off their nesting grounds with bird netting. In most cases, this involves hiring a bird control company.
Seagull food sources here are open trash containers, discarded food, and food left out intentionally for birds. In the case of a large-scale infestation, the system of how food is dealt with needs to be changed. For example, if seagulls are getting into the trash area behind a business, or if birds are picking up discarded food from close to a restaurant, the business or residence will need to find a way to mitigate this to get the birds to stop. It can be difficult to change the entire system of how food will be dealt with to avoid birds, but it can be done.
The next step to beating a large-scale seagull infestation is blocking off their nesting grounds. Seagulls like to nest in places like rooftops, chimneys, and behind trash areas. These areas can almost always be blocked off with bird netting. Bird netting blocks birds with 100% effectiveness and can be installed wherever birds are nesting.
If birds already nesting, your best bet is to call in a bird control company to inspect the site. They can apply for a permit to move the birds and will have the equipment to deal with the risk of seagull-borne diseases and territorial birds. We do not recommend ever moving a seagull nest yourself, as this is illegal under the Migratory Bird Act Treaty of 1918, along with the risks of disease and territorial birds.
Removing bird food sources and blocking off their nesting grounds will go a long way towards solving your bird problem. Another option for blocking birds is seagull grid deterrent wire.
Seagull grid deterrent wire is a series of wires spread in a grid formation across raised poles. These poles raise the wires very comfortably above human height, and also block seagulls from being able to descend to the ground. Seagull grid deterrent wire is a great option for blocking gulls from restaurants, rooftops, docks, and marinas. We have also installed it on residential homes.
Summary: The method you use for deterring gulls will depend on the severity of the seagull problem.
For a small problem, hang up scare devices like scarecrows or terror eyes and remove any food sources the gulls are getting into.
For medium-sized problems, the top priorities are to remove seagull food sources and to stop them from nesting.
For larger-sized problems, call in a bird control company to remove the seagulls, then block off their nesting grounds with bird netting and make changes to your food system to stop gulls from being attracted to the area.