Eagle Eye Keeps Gulls off of the Roof in Mantoloking, NJ

This summer, residents in a residential development in Mantaloking, NJ found themselves with a serious nuisance bird problem. The property manager contacted Bird Solutions By Cowleys for us to take care of the problem. Seagulls had taken over the community’s outdoor pool area. Suffice it to say, it’s difficult to enjoy a pool area while birds are hovering and circling a few feet overhead looking for scraps of food. And if you want to take a dip in the pool, you would be swimming with their feathers and fecal matter. Not exactly refreshing! 

Permanent residents and those with summer homes in Mantaloking or any of the other towns on the Jersey Shore, often find themselves with seagull issues on their property. It’s hardly surprising since these coastal regions are their natural habitat. Without a doubt, gulls are one of the most problematic nuisance birds for those who live in coastal New Jersey towns.. 

Although we like to think of gulls gracefully diving into the ocean to nap an unsuspecting fish, the reality is that these birds eat far more than aquatic life, and just like pigeons, they thrive in human habitats. Gulls are opportunistic scavengers that will consume virtually anything and we give them plenty of food waste to thrive. A major problem with these birds is their prodigious waste. Their thick white glue-like droppings are filled with pathogens and are a nightmare to clean. Their waste can cause property damage. It is acidic enough to disintegrate roofing materials and cause roof leaks!

With gulls and other nuisance birds, we don’t seek to kill or harm them. In fact, birds classified as migratory birds are federally protected and harming them is illegal. Our focus is on bird control — we want to change their behavior. We employ various deterrents to create a hostile environment so they get frustrated, abandon your property, and go bother someone else. 

For this particular situation, the most effective deterrent was an “eagle eye.” This highly effective optical bird “scarer” can be attached to the peak of a roof or anywhere else that gulls are landing and congregating. As the wind catches the device, it spins and emits an annoying large glare that distracts them and limits their vision. The reflected light beams are so uncomfortable that the gulls will divert their flight and head away from your property. Different bird species have different sensitivities to certain colors. This red eagle eye is designed and used primarily to repel gulls, and it works exceptionally well in large, open areas (like this pool area) that gulls find attractive. This gull problem will be completely eliminated as the birds seek out more hospitable locations where they are not bothered by a blinding light every time they attempt to land.