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It seems that they will congregate anywhere there is a viable food source.
They especially like dumps or landfills, and supermarket parking lots; they are the "dumpster diving" bird.
They are not particular at all about what they eat.
On one trip to the beach, I had the pleasure of watching a gull steal a piece of fried chicken out of a bucket and carry it away.
Seagulls will find a secluded spot to spend the evenings and sleep; these include small islands, tall buildings, and even the roof of your home.
Seagulls have been known to travel several miles from where they forage to where they sleep.
Seagull damage: Not only do seagulls like to land and rest on the roof of your house, your boat or business; they also leave behind their droppings.
Seagull droppings are nutrient-rich waste, a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and other organisms that may cause diseases.
Some if the common disease-causing organisms found in their droppings are E.
Coli, Cryptococossis and Histoplasmosis.
Their droppings are also corrosive, causing damage to roofing material, your boat finish and building materials.
Bird droppings are also difficult to clean.
Seagull Prevention: It is wise to take preventive measures against pest seagulls; keep them from making a home out of your home and wasting time cleaning up after them.
One of the reasons gulls stay around your business, home or boat is because there is a readily available food source.
Never feed a seagull that is hanging around your house, you will soon have the whole flock as neighbors if you do, keep pet food covered if left outside; keep your trashcan lids on securely.
Garbage is a favorite food of seagulls.
If there are a lot of seagulls in your area, and they are already using your home or boat as a perch, it will be wise to install some sort of seagull control.
There are many products on the market that are safe and humane bird control devices.
Seagulls on your home/business: There are several products available to keep gulls off of your roof.
You can install bird spikes along the edges and peaks of your roof.
This keeps them from landing on the roof and making it home.
Birds will land on the highest point of a roof and then walk onto the other areas once they are sure that it is safe.
It is important to cover the peaks with the bird spikes.
If you have a flat roof you can use bird spiders to keep the gulls from landing.
They have eight "arms" like a spider that move with the breeze to create an area that the seagulls will not want to land in.
The bird spiders come in as large as 8-foot diameter for coverage of large areas.
Seagulls on your boat: There are products available to keep gulls and other pest birds off of your boat.
You can use the bird spiders with special boat bases.
The boat bases allow you to use the spider on masts, canvas covers and Biminis.
You can also attach them to the boat rail with a special railing clamp.
Bird spikes will also work well to keep birds off areas like the radar antenna and masts.
You can use zip ties to attach them and remove them when you want to use your boat.
A solar bird repeller is a great product to use on canvas covers, Biminis and boat decks.
The repeller sweeps birds away in a 5-foot diameter.
It is solar powered with rechargeable batteries so that the repeller will keep on working during dark times.
There are also visual deterrents available that can be hung from rigging to scare the birds away.
The sun reflects off of the deterrents and causes a visual distraction zone; the birds fly in the other direction.
The best way to keep seagulls from your home, business or boat is prevention.
Make it unappealing to hang out around your house.
If you already have seagull problems, then it is wise to invest in some sort of bird control system.
If you are unable to do the work yourself, contact a local pest or bird control company to help.
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