Want to Get Rid of Your Gulls? We’ve Got Good & Bad News…
Aug 13, 2021
An exploding population of ring-billed and herring gulls across the Midwest can put building owners at a significant disadvantage.
Legal protections limit what you can do once a population has moved in and the incredible adaptability of these birds limits the effectiveness of the options you have left.
Meanwhile, what the gulls can do is inflict a wide range of problems and conflicts including the spread of disease and damage to agricultural crops, safety risks at airports, disease transmission, and adverse impact to populations of nesting terns and other native species at beaches.
But timing is everything: a well-executed plan for preventing them from setting up house on your rooftop when nesting season arrives next spring can dramatically reduce their population, leaving you with a dramatically reduced threat of problems that also include injuries to employees and visitors and property damage.
Dive-bombing gulls are responsible for more than a few slip and fall accidents and rooftop nesting gulls leave behind acidic waste that can destroy roof membranes and leave you with leaks.
Good News & Bad News
The bad news? If your building has gull problems, you can’t legally remove or kill them and they will be back again next year. Typical deterrents are also ineffective once a colony has nested.
The good news? Take the time to plan now and you won’t have the same gull problems next year. There may also be some opportunity to mitigate problems caused by nesting gulls once we evaluate your property.
Gull Deterrents That Work (And When They Work)
The best strategies are biology-backed plans that use a combination of methods to offset the gulls’ ability to adapt to deterrents, drawing from a combination of lasers, egg depredation, canine harassment, shock tracks, and more.
Tip: grid deterrent systems are not an effective opening move: they’re expensive and gulls quickly learn that they can nest beneath them.
Other deterrents, however, can be effective – if they are implemented before colonies have settled in to nest – and when used in combination.
Biologist-Led Gull Management
At Wild Goose Chase, we have deep expertise in the management of gull colonies with biologist-led strategies customized to the location. Every species of bird and every setting poses a unique set of challenges that have to be taken into consideration for maximum effectiveness.
Our gull deterrents are designed to keep the birds guessing and property owners secure in the knowledge that their gull problems are being managed with the best, safest and most cost-effective strategies available.
Take steps to mitigate your gull problems now and you can enjoy the beauty and spirit of the Midwest gull population as a spectator, knowing that your property is protected.
Get started with a gull assessment and learn more about the right solution for your gull conflicts.
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