Seagull behaviour

[Patchninja]

The thread about the sick seagull got me wondering if someone here can answer a question that has been nagging me for years.
In England, the seagulls are a real menace. They attack people, pinch their food - where my daughter lives in Cornwall, you take your life in your own hands if you eat outdoors where they're on the rampage! I can't buy my grandson an icecream to have on the beach because it's not safe. Soma of those gullies are big birds and he's only little!
Here, we eat outdoors but the gullies are very well behaved. You never see them on the ground lurking near restaurants or bars.
Why is there this difference in behaviour?

[bubblewrap]

The thread about the sick seagull got me wondering if someone here can answer a question that has been nagging me for years.
In England, the seagulls are a real menace. They attack people, pinch their food - where my daughter lives in Cornwall, you take your life in your own hands if you eat outdoors where they're on the rampage! I can't buy my grandson an icecream to have on the beach because it's not safe. Soma of those gullies are big birds and he's only little!
Here, we eat outdoors but the gullies are very well behaved. You never see them on the ground lurking near restaurants or bars.
Why is there this difference in behaviour?

They hate tourists.

[rustylady]

Maybe people in Brittany don't discard food scraps and litter in the streets like people in England do. Gulls have learned that there are easy pickings to be had.

[bobleponge]

Maybe there are more nautical types around where you are PN, than down in Cornwall, that would clearly explain their better behaviour.

As we all know, all the nice gulls love a sailor!!

[Brengirl]

They hate tourists.

I am quite sure they do. In my part of the world 'grockles' are very welcome and a vital part of our economy. I wouldn't exactly say that we dive bomb them to steal their food but in some respects we do take advantage of them. During the summer months our day to day quiet and peaceful lives are completely disrupted. I, personally love it.
However, the seagulls regard us as invaders of their territory. What little fish there is now left in the sea is being reduced on a daily basis so in retaliation they nest on our rooftops, keep us awake at night with their goings on and raid our dustbins.
We love living here and so do they.

[jackie j]

The reason the gulls take food is because the tourists feed them, once that started the gulls pinched the food anyway. Also a lot of people leave so much rubbish behind the gulls go looking for food.
If people stopped feeding them they would go elsewhere to look for food.

[Two_Sheds]

In Padstein, you aren't allowed to feed the gulls, who wait patiently at your feet trying to melt your heart.

I've lived on the coast nearly all my life, and have never been attacked, nor seen anyone attacked, by herring gulls. I love throwing bread up for black headed gulls, which they will catch mid-air, they're really aerobatic.

I think sometimes the claims are exaggerated, or perhaps people see swooping gulls and assume (wrongly) that they are attacking.

[jacob marley]

Here is a little video that shows it is not only humans that seagulls steal from .. jacob

Seagull Steals From World's Laziest Cat

[Florence Fennel]

What a good clip for a Monday morning Jacob, thank you!

[jackie j]

In Padstein, you aren't allowed to feed the gulls, who wait patiently at your feet trying to melt your heart.

I've lived on the coast nearly all my life, and have never been attacked, nor seen anyone attacked, by herring gulls. I love throwing bread up for black headed gulls, which they will catch mid-air, they're really aerobatic.

I think sometimes the claims are exaggerated, or perhaps people see swooping gulls and assume (wrongly) that they are attacking.

Down here the tourists feed the seagulls and they do attack, I have seen it, I have lived by or near the coast all my life. The gulls are so used to being fed they pinch it from your hand. There are signs up everywhere saying ' please dont feed the seagulls' but they still do.
Postmen are refusing to deliver to some houses cos they attack especially where the babies have fallen out of the nest.

[Two_Sheds]

Down here ... the seagulls and they do attack,...The gulls are so used to being fed they pinch it from your hand.

See, that's where I disagree with the word "attack". They aren't attacking (to hurt) people, they are nicking food.

[hamsterqueen]

Never mind them nicking food, what i want to know is do they lie in wait for me to hang out the washing?

[bubblewrap]

Here is a little video that shows it is not only humans that seagulls steal from .. jacob

Seagull Steals From World's Laziest Cat

I now know why our cats are always asking for food.
Thanks for that one Jacob it brightened up my day.

[jackie j]

See, that's where I disagree with the word "attack". They aren't attacking (to hurt) people, they are nicking food.

Sorry two sheds but I have witnessed them attacking, they dive bomb you and if you dont duck for cover they will attack. The postmen in some areas are refusing to deliver as they cant get near the houses.

[Patchninja]

My daughter has a friend who has a nasty scar on her cheek - a seagull swooped down and took a pasty she was biting out of her mouth! Call it attacking or nicking food - I don't mind which, it's just scary for a bird to have so little fear of approaching humans!