Gulls make mess on deck - Bird control and removal in Seaside Heights
Challenge
A homeowner in Seaside Heights contacted Bird Solutions By Cowleys because of a serious nuisance bird problem. This homeowner lived right on the Bay where he docked his prized motorboat. Seagulls were landing on his roof and dock, depositing their prodigious waste everywhere. Most upsetting to the homeowner was the vandalism that these birds were doing to his boat. Boat owners are notoriously protective of their “babies!”
Seagulls are migratory birds, so should these birds become a nuisance on your property, they cannot be killed or harmed. Instead, with gulls, it’s all about bird control. You have to create a hostile environment on your property through various deterrents. You want them to abandon your property, so they’ll move on elsewhere.
Because gulls nest in coastal regions, they are quite common along the Jersey Shore, and they often become one of the biggest bird nuisances for homeowners who live in our coastal towns. These birds eat far more than aquatic life. They are opportunistic scavengers that will consume virtually anything. In their search for food, when not in parking lots or garbage dumps, they are often attracted to roofs and other high structures. These are safe sites for them to roost and nest, and it gives them a great vantage point to stay on the lookout for food and predators.
Their droppings can cause significant property damage. Their thick white paste contains acidic uric acid, which is strong enough to dissolve shingles and sheathing. It can easily disintegrate roofing materials enough to cause roof leaks. Also, birds nesting in drains and gutters can block water drainage and lead to dangerous standing water on the roof.
Because bird droppings contain parasites and other pathogens, they are a serious health hazard. The most recent scary news about gulls is that they have been identified as possible carriers of the antibiotic-resistant “superbug” MCR that cannot be treated with the colistin, the “last-ditch” antibiotic when nothing else works. Scientists believe that these birds picked up this untreatable bacteria by eating garbage containing sewage or medical waste. Because gulls can migrate thousands of miles, they can potentially transmit this dangerous pathogen anywhere in the world. Suffice it to say, you don’t want gulls hanging around your home depositing their toxic droppings!
Solution
When I arrived on the site, I immediately observed at least ten seagulls on his dock area. To keep the birds off the dock and his boat, I installed an “eagle eye.” This device rotates giving off annoying flashes of light that repel the birds from landing. I also installed two “daddy long leg” devices on his chimney caps that spin with the wind and prevent birds from landing.
The home owner he was so happy that he finally had his home and boat back. He understood that gulls are a part of living at the Jersey Shore; he didn’t want them taking over his property. A few days later, I received some great news. This homeowner called just to let me know that, with these deterrents, he has not seen a single gull around his property. He also said that this was one of the best investments in his property that he’s made in a long time. For me, there is nothing better than positive unsolicited customer feedback to make my day!
