Avian Theft victims unite!!!

[Brer Chump]

Just returned from a trip to WDW and the seagulls have become increasingly more aggressive.

We were walking in the World Showcase at Epcot when a seagull grabbed a caramel from my DD8 hand and flew away with it. No physical, mental or emotional damage resulted, but I hoped that bird choked on the caramel.

While coming down the walkway from the Peoplemover in MK we saw a bird on the handlebar of an umbrella stroller in which the hood was open. The bird grabbed a package of grapes which was stored in the folds of the hood. The bird dropped the grapes on the ground and then using its beak ripped a hole in the bag and ate some of the grapes.

Anyone else witness any avian thievery?

 

[nightshaderose]

Another victim here!

A couple of years ago I was spending an afternoon at Stormalong Bay. I'd picked up a cheeseburger from Hurricane Hanna's and retreated to a less-populated area to enjoy my lunch and sunshine in peace (I tend to go in January, so there are less-populated areas). My mistake. I didn't notice the group of seagulls gathering until just before one of them got airborne, swooped down at me and tried to grab the whole damn cheeseburger (less the 3 bites I'd managed to take) right out of my hands. The burger landed on the ground and I came very close to loosing my temper and clobbering that gull with my shoe. I got the burger into the trash before the birds could have any, and the folks at the counter were happy to give me another when I explained what happened, so it mostly turned out all right. I think I may have developed a lifelong antagonism towards seagulls, though.

Elizabeth

 

[babiipiggiex3]

One morning a few years ago while I was enjoying my bagel with cream cheese in peace, a seagull scooped down, took my bagel, and flew away
I wasn't very upset though, as it was quite amusing for me that they would actually do that.. haha

 

[SueM in MN]

The 2 main reasons it happens are people who feed the birds on purpose and people who leave their trash (along with uny unfinished food) on the tables at outdoor eating places.
Put that together with a pretty steady supply of dropped food and unsuspecting tourists, and you get a good supply of thieving birds.

 

[bear_mom]

Not at Disney, but on Mackinaw Island. A seagull swooped down and took the ice cream off dh's ice cream cone. He was left holding an empty cone . Dd's and I got a good laugh out of that one.....

Emily

 

[walkdmc]

I too was a victim of avian assault. And it was one of those little birds! I was holding a drink, waiting to finish before I entered the turnstile to COP in Tomorrowland. A gang of those small ("cute") birds flew right past my hand with one bird hitting my hand with his beak (I assume since it was hard). Then the gang landed on the ground nearby. I think their plan was to knock the food item out of my hand and have it.

My neighbor still talks about the churro-stealing seagull everytime I mention Disney. Apparently a seagull stole a churro out of her DH's hand while he stood eating it in Epcot.

 

[LaurenT]

Just returned from a trip to WDW and the seagulls have become increasingly more aggressive.

We were walking in the World Showcase at Epcot when a seagull grabbed a caramel from my DD8 hand and flew away with it. No physical, mental or emotional damage resulted, but I hoped that bird choked on the caramel.

While coming down the walkway from the Peoplemover in MK we saw a bird on the handlebar of an umbrella stroller in which the hood was open. The bird grabbed a package of grapes which was stored in the folds of the hood. The bird dropped the grapes on the ground and then using its beak ripped a hole in the bag and ate some of the grapes.

Anyone else witness any avian thievery?

Can't really call it theft...
The birds look at a bank of strollers and think "oooh...look....a buffet!"
So, no intent there to make it a crime.
Grabbing a caramel out of a humans hand though...well, gotta hand it to him...that's one gutsy bird!

 

[bowbat]

I, too, have been a victim of avian assault.

It happened years & years ago, but the emotional scars remain. We were in Epcot, and I had just purchased some funnel cake. As he handed it to me, the CM said, "Look out for the birds." I was all ??? Well, I hadn't made it five steps before a seagull attacked from the rear, swooping in over my shoulder to land on my plate & try to steal my funnel cake. Between my shrieking and his flapping, he didn't get any of the cake, but I ended up covered head to toe in powdered sugar. The collateral damage was that my husband almost died laughing.

 

[ducky_love]

I think the birds are more obvious but squirrels are a much bigger problem. At AK last week I saw a whole pack of them rummaging through strollers parked outside of Finding Nemo. They were digging through bags until they found something good (goldfish crackers) then the one that "struck gold" ran for the bushes while the others kept digging. I went over and stomped and yelled thinking they would run off... they looked at me like I was nuts and kept digging. Once they all found something they were gone and the stroller owners wouldn't have thought anything was out of the ordinary returning to their stroller. I kept thinking of all those folks later in the day digging through their bags and asking themselves, "Who steals goldfish crackers??!".

Squirrels are the ninjas of the animal world....

 

[SDSorority]

EWWWW I haaaaaaate those doggone birds! I have been known to run through Frontierland and World Showcase on many an occasion.

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

These are funny! Sorry, I haven't been a victim.

 

[katoot]

From my Trip Report:

If I’m not mistaken, this is when Soon Ae and I went to see the Country Bear Jamboree, although I believe we got some burgers at Cosmic Ray’s first. We had a little bit of time before the next show, so Soon Ae sits down on a bench to rest. I had a craving for a Mickey Bar all week, and finally got around to buying one.

I was about two thirds done and standing in front of the Jamboree building. I believe I was talking to Soon Ae at the time, but I’m not sure. Maybe not. Anyway, I was minding my own business, enjoying my Mickey Bar. All of a sudden, something hit my head and my hand, knocking most of what was left on the bar on the ground! Apparently, this seagull was craving Mickey Bars, too! I just couldn’t believe what happened. There was a CM just outside the doors. She asked if I was alright, and said that it happens all the time. Well, now I know to protect my ice cream!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Not a victim, but a witness.

At the Japan pavilion in Epcot a large crane was sitting on the roof of Yakitori House watching what was going on. It then decided it was lunchtimes and swooped down to the Koi Pond at the base of the hill and flew off with a fairly large fish impaled on its beak.

Several children were traumatized by this. And a CM who witnessed it called Pest Control to try to come in and relocate the bird.

 

[walkdmc]

I think the birds are more obvious but squirrels are a much bigger problem. ...
Squirrels are the ninjas of the animal world....

The squirrels at Disney act so entitled!

I was at the GF, just got a Mickey Bar from Gasparillas and was standing on the porch eating it. A quarter-sized piece of chocolate fell onto the ground. There was a squirrel about 10 feet away cleaning it's tail. I watched the squirrel who seemed oblivious to me and the chocolate on the ground. I watched him for a couple of minutes then he ran over brushing my foot on his way to the little chocolate piece on the ground. I could not believe 1.) he could see that piece of chocolate from so far away and 2.) he was being sneaky and cleaning his tail while he thought "I have to get that food"....I'm guessing, of course.

The ducks at the GF also have "issues". They're very snobby.

 

[Designer Rose]

This is why they tell you NOT to feed the birds! The seagulls are so aggressive because they're used to getting food from people. I've been attacked once by one at the Boardwalk, not fun. I was sitting there about to eat a chip and the seagull stole it out of my hand. A chip!
Though, I do have to say though, I do occasionally feed the ducks around the parks.... though never seagulls, I can't stand those pests....

 

[Belle5]

I kept thinking of all those folks later in the day digging through their bags and asking themselves, "Who steals goldfish crackers??!".

The thought of this made me laugh out loud! Really, can you imagine wondering WHO would steal your baby's crackers OUT of your stroller? The truth is, if I knew a squirrel was going through my stroller looking for food, I would want to feed my child any remaining crackers...knowing that an animal had been pawing through it...

 

[eliza61]

You guys have got us pegged all wrong. We're not theives.

First, remember that while we will eat live seafood, we're expert scavengers. It's in our DNA. some of us scavenge, some of us are predators. Whoa, you really don't want any of those guys around. Trust me.
Next, you two legged creatures are really weird. You travel everywhere with food!! You're like walking, talking restaurants. The 2 legs with strollers are like jackpot
Now that we're on the subject I hate to point this out, you guys are not the neatest species on the block. you drop food, throw food, spill food I mean really, what's a bird supposed to do?
Lastly. The mini 2 legs. they're great! sure they chase us around but for the most part we know they can't catch us and they love throwing food at us. I mean, really can life get any better. No predators, an abundant supply of food and I don't even have to work for it.

I've even made it to you-tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqy9hxhUxK0

 

[PSUGuy]

What follows is a completely true story. A few years back on one of our March WDW trips we were eating at the outdoor cantina across from Mexico in Epcot. The birds were not particularly agressive, but they were annoying and I certainly didn't want them leaving any 'deposits' on our lunch so I hit on a plan. I took a nacho, liberally applied some hot salsa sauce and offered to the nearest bird. One quickly snatched it from my hand, flew down to water's edge, washed off the sauce then ate the chip. Them are some smart birds.

Bill From PA

 

[Belle5]

What follows is a completely true story. A few years back on one of our March WDW trips we were eating at the outdoor cantina across from Mexico in Epcot. The birds were not particularly agressive, but they were annoying and I certainly didn't want them leaving any 'deposits' on our lunch so I hit on a plan. I took a nacho, liberally applied some hot salsa sauce and offered to the nearest bird. One quickly snatched it from my hand, flew down to water's edge, washed off the sauce then ate the chip. Them are some smart birds.

Bill From PA

That was an EXPERIENCED bird! You can tell HE lived near the cantina. His mama probably taught him to wash off salsa as did her mother before her!

 

[HeatherLassell]

I've even made it to you-tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqy9hxhUxK0

hahahahahaha I love when they "confront" the bird! "Excuse me? Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Oh and mmmmmmmmm Scottish accent! *drool*