Urban Myth: “a modern story of obscure origin and with little or no supporting evidence that spreads spontaneously in varying forms and often has elements of horror”
There was an avalanche of comments across social media in response to my post about the fines being handed out to people feeding urban birds. Most of those who responded are wholly against any penalties for this apparently innocent pastime and many are absolutely adamant that they will continue to feed our feathered friends - even it it brings them into conflict with the authorities...or nosy neighbours. Of those who supported the fines, the most often voiced complaint was that of vicious 'dive bombing' gulls. These horror stories of gulls attacking people are very prominent whenever there is any debate over 'controlling' or 'managing' urban wildlife, with many urging for a cull to put an end to the perceived problem. Vicious Seagulls = Fake News? But are these horror stories just that? Made up stories? Myths? We've all seen the hysterical headlines along the lines of "seagull nearly killed my Nan" and "left for dead by violent gang of gulls" but are dive-bombing gulls a real problem or just an urban myth? Having spent a great deal of time by the sea, I can honestly say that I've never ever encountered a malicious seagull. Sure, if you hold a chip in the air, especially during the gull's nesting season, then you may be lucky enough (or unlucky enough - depending on your outlook) to have a close encounter with one of these magnificent birds, but I have my doubts as to whether such encounters are commonplace – and whether they are in fact really 'horrific' and 'vicious' or just surprising and delightful. I take all these newspaper reports with a large pinch of salt, much as I do with my chips at the seaside. Sensational headlines claiming that gulls are attacking people purposefully and violently are probably mostly nonsense. A British Problem? And is this a purely British invention? What of overseas gulls? Do Dutch gulls attack people too? Or those in Canada? Apparently they are all well mannered.... hmm, something fishy there then. There may of course have been occasions when a gull, in defence of its nesting territory, has warned off what it sees as a potential threat– but that's natural and something we must respect. Many species of gull are in rapid decline as we have over-fished their territory out at sea and deprived them of their food source. First Hand Accounts Welcome... So, if anyone can provide first hand accounts of being attacked by vicious birds then I'd be very open to hearing from you. Meanwhile I remain skeptical and might even go as far as to suggest that dive bombing sea gulls really are an urban myth, invented - or at least exaggerated - in order to provide an excuse to label them as 'pests' and eradicate them. Sign My Petition I've set up a petition to encourage local councils to establish bird feeding areas in towns and cities. This will enable those of us who love to feed birds the opportunity to do so without being slapped with a fine. It will also allow those odd people who have an aversion to winged creatures the option to avoid the area. Licensed seed sellers could provide suitable food and everyone will be happy. Please take a moment to sign the petition and let's see if we can put an and end to this ridiculous culture of persecuting birds – and the good folks who feed them. PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION BY CLICKING HERE, THANK YOU.
14 Comments
Shani du Plessis
26/2/2018 02:05:45 pm
Was interested by your article on seagull 'attacks'. I hasten to add i am very much a bird lover but i have been a first hand witness to a bullying/harrassment technique by a sizable mob of greater black backed gulls on children and adults having a picnic under covered seating at a large adventure playground beside Ayr Beach. I watched as a young child of about 5 or 6...food in hand left the main group of adults seated on benches who were all eating lunch..a large group of gulls who had been keeping close eye on the family walking up to an unattended pushchair and closing in on the picnic-goers immediately paired off and followed her. One swooped down grabbed the food from the girl and left her screaming and upset with a sizable quantity of blood dripping down her finger. Adults and children alike were suitably shocked and the picnic was quickly packed away and the park exited. Seems these gulls deserve a lot more respect than we currently offer them !
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26/2/2018 02:46:51 pm
Thanks for your comments Shani.
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Sarah
1/7/2019 04:32:02 am
I was just walking my dog and was aggressively divebombed by a seagull. No food near us. It did about 10 swoops bear my head, aiming straight for me. I ran for it and when I came out on the other side of a building it came at me again.
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Stephanie
8/8/2019 05:23:49 am
Well it may sound like an urban myth and be seemingly impossible. I assure you these attacks are most likely real. I was attacked today by a seagull. I live in Ontario Canada and I was sitting by the water this evening enjoying my sandwich. Usually there are seagulls around and they wait for scraps and call their friends in hopes of their next meal, I have seem them scouring for food but they usually keep a safe distance. Today was outrageous. I was just sitting there and a seagull dive bombed my head knocking me straight in the cheekbone and scratching my shoulder with its talons and smashed my fingernail swiping the one-bite-in full chicken sandwich out of my hand. I was in shock, at first I thought a person punched me in the face and grabbed my sandwich right out of my hand but then I saw the seagull flying away with my fried chicken sandwich.
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28/7/2018 02:29:59 pm
I am a postie in Kent and have for the last two months had to carry an umbrella round with me in 3 different residential areas. The reason I have had to do this is the seagulls keep dive-bombing me as they are rearing their young on the roofs of peoples houses! This happened last year as well so no it is not an urban myth, they scare the life out of me and I nearly got permission to refuse to deliver the mail round these streets except for the fact I had my brolly. There needs to be a cull in my opinion, they are out of control!
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Sue
26/8/2018 12:38:51 am
My son was trying to walk to a bench on the boardwalk with crab fries and about ten of them swarmed him. Scared the daylights out of him. Least to say he dumped the fires in the trash and kept running. I realize they just wanted his food but they can be very aggressive.
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Jane
20/12/2018 06:46:43 pm
When my husband and I were at the coast for the day with our two sons, we bought some sandwiches and sat on the prom to eat them. Suddenly I felt something slamming into the back of my head, and my sandwich disappeared from my hand. I was terrified, and when I looked up a huge seagull flew over me with the sandwich in it's mouth. I had a headache for a couple of days and washed my hair about three times a day as gulls carry disease-so it's not an urban myth!
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i want my name unknown as same with not giving out my e-mail sorry! I don't want getting into wrong hands. but i had a experience with seagulls last year i was walking from my home in trailer park heading for McDonalds and two seagulls on each side flew by but i was scared as they flew around my head but i shooed them off i wasn't sure if i went ahead afterward to McDonalds so i went to my neighbors house and got a ride with her to McD's and then somehow was able to walk back home or got a ride home . i was bit shaken up by expeience and i did not have food out .and don't carry food out in open it is kept well hidden if i have candy .i keep well hidden in my totebag. so i pray i be safe this spring &summer. as winter was a breeze no seagulls.
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Owen
19/6/2019 10:25:32 am
I had my first hand experience with bombing gulls yesterday, walking down an industrial estate a gull swooped passed my head randomly, I thought nothing of it until it stalled in the air until if swooped for my face, now I am never one to fight specially animals so take my reaction as delf defense only. As it swooped for my face I caught it's beak with my fist which made it fly away however 6 more showed up one swooped for my ankles in which I got out of the way and another went for my chest which I was lucky enough to grab by the neck and deliver a hammer punch to the top of the cranium, it flew away with a wobble however then then dove in swarms forcing my to flail my heavy bag and take out about 4' I had no food on me and there was no wooded or grassy areas to nest. This attack was unprovoked and I'll be honest the only time wild life decided to fight. I don't condone my actions but had to defend myself. These gulls where black/grey backs and I live in the south of Wales near Cardiff where the gulls are notoriously violent.
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One Eyed Willy
11/7/2019 07:42:20 pm
You have clearly never been on a roof. Sea gulls will and do attack anyone that comes near them during nesting season. We have swarms of them on our sites and can’t do anything to control them. If it’s not the birds attacking contractors it’s their sh@t blocking the drains. They are an urban pest and massively out of control.
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Lisa
13/7/2019 06:53:34 pm
I have never had a problem till now, as I have a baby chick in my garden I understand they are protecting it but the mum and dad a getting vicious!!! I go out to my car and they go straight for me I even duck down but still I get hit on the head by it's feet😡 , they did that's this morning and tried pooing on me! They then keep dive bombing and dive bombing!!! My dog is now scared to go out in the Garden as they get him. The now have to resort to going in the garden with an umbrella, I try staying away from the chick but I havnt got a very big garden so it's hard.
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Nat
7/6/2020 11:27:21 pm
Very definitely not a myth. We can hardly go out in our back garden at the moment because the seagulls are dive bombing us and trying to shower us in poop! It's horrific.
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Shannon
12/7/2020 02:01:29 pm
I live in Canada and I can attest, the gulls are not friendly here. There is a small hockey arena near my house that the seagulls have nested on for the past two summers. I walk past it every day with my dog and 9 times out of 10 we will get dive bombed. Generally I can duck at the right time to avoid actually getting hit in the head, but it’s very annoying. They have also managed to poop on me twice.
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Shall
18/6/2021 03:04:33 pm
Seagulls definitely do dive bomb! I had my first experience with it today. I was walking around our caravan park, no food on me and doing nothing to provoke an attack. I felt something smash into the top of my head, look up to see its a seagull. It tried to dive bomb me another 3 times, until I ran off. Must say that it did hurt my head where it smashed its feet into me.
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