Beware the Seagulls

[CandleontheWater]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who will stand up and tell other guests to stop feeding the birds. Nothing gets my goat more than seeing families give french fries to the various breeds of flying rats around WDW. Please, please if you see someone feeding the birds around WDW, tell them that it is against the rules and leads to crazy aggressive bird behavior.

 

[hammie59]

I never really thought about it until it happened to me too! We weren't at WDW, but a seagull is a seagull. One swooped down, wing hitting dh upside the head, and snatched my hotdog right out of the bun (it even left beak marks). Then it proceeded to swallow the entire thing whole! I showed bun to the cashier and she was nice enough to give me another for free. Too funny, but a little freaky at the same time.

 

[LindaB73]

One more reason why birds creep me out! Seagulls are straight up disgusting.

 

[n2mm]

Ack!
Ok, So I've gotten from this thread that the gulls aren't as bad in the warmer months? Anyone had any problems in May?

Let me tell you, I am straight up terrified of birds, specifically seagulls! I learnt my lesson in Australia when one stole a fry out of my hand & bit me in the process, I was so shaken it was straight back to the hotel with me! Not to mention, that the seagulls are the size of small dogs in Vancouver! Although, I never had any huge problems with them, they lurked, but never stole.

I've only had problems with them in January/Feb. Never in the warmer months.

I was in WDW just last week and a lady standing near me got bit by one at MK. She had a package of mustard in her hand. She was trying to open it for her daughter's pretzel and it swooped down and grabbed it and nicked her hand at the same time. It did draw blood on that attack.

 

[LilGMom]

Gotta love people like this guy for encouraging the birds to get food from people - Thanks Mr. Bird Feeder Guy

 

[minniebeth]

Idiot.

 

[waynesgirl]

I must say, I do not feed the birds- I have had them stalk me before and they don't seem to realize, I am not one to give up my $8.95 hamburger and fries with a $2.95 drink on the side-

I did give a IBIS a few Jelly Belly jelly beans once. It was pretty funny, watching those things try to pick up the slick beans- and the licorce (sp?) flavored ones at that!

ETA: but I promise, I haven't done it since, and this was in 2002.

 

[minniebeth]

I did give a IBIS a few Jelly Belly jelly beans once. It was pretty funny, watching those things try to pick up the slick beans- and the licorce (sp?) flavored ones at that!

...but I bet you didn't feed them out of your mouth...or ears!
Those birds are freaky!

 

[rcc866]

you should see what happends when you drop some popcorn on the ground

 

[Cap'nJack'sMum]

I was really nervous at the Rose and Crown last year. We had gulls eyeing us while we were eating, seated outdoors. They never approached, but they were watching....always watching.

 

[cbnsoul]

We were there last week and seagulls were seamingly everywhere. I, as well, hadn't noticed them in the summer or fall when we typically go so figured it was a winter thing. I, too, saw MANY peple feeding them although mainly they were opportunistic, quickly snatching up any dropped food.

 

[Ratatosk]

Happened to me in the little snack area under the people mover near Buzz Lightyear. I went to put a piece of pretzel in my mouth and one hit me in the face and stole my food. Freaked me out! We moved over near the outside of Star Traders where there weren't any birds gathered.

At Universal the ducks and squirrels were pretty brave.

At least this time I didn't see any flocks of ducks swimming in the WL pool. Two years ago the pool was crazy with them and people were swimming with them. DH works with muncipalities and their water treatment facilities and has said geese and other waterfowl can cause havoc with lagoons and ponds. Bleah!

 

[perdidochas]

We were at the MK yesterday and we decided to have an afternoon snack. We stopped my Auntie Gravities for some soft serve. After we got our ice cream and had taken about 5 feet from the door a seagull swooped down, hitting my wifes head and knocking her ice cream out of her hand. Next about 4 other seagulls swarmed in and attacked the ice cream. My wife was understandably upset. After a couple of minutes my wife went back in to buy another one. She was talking to the cashier, telling her about what happened and they gave her a free one. While she was in there I saw the same thing happen to 2 other women! It was very freaky! And it has to happen pretty frequently since they had no problems giving her a new one.

Just a warning!

And that is reason 2223 not to feed seagulls. The seagulls get bold because they are used to people feeding them.

I hate seagulls--the only seabirds that I dislike.

 

[chiamarie]

The seagulls are espically horrible here in central florida usually between November-March. They migrate down here from up north.

Let it be a lesson. When you are at home, and think it's fun to go out and feed the birds. See why they come to disney every winter and attack people? Becasue they aren't scared of people. They have learned to assoicate food with people.


Moral of the story. Don't feed wild animals. Birds, squirrls, chipmunks...etc.

It's not just birds that approch people for food. I've seen it serval times at Disney and other central florida parks. Squirrls know how to open zippers and ziplock bags out of strollers. I've seen them do it for food.

 

[perdidochas]

First time I ate at Casey's Corner, it was crowded and all the outside tables were full. I couldn't believe the people that were feeding the birds there, it was pretty nasty.

That is the cause. Those birds like human food--especially high fat stuff like funnel cakes, icecream, fries, burgers and hotdogs. Feeding them emboldens the flying rats.

 

[GoodFairies]

Saw a churro incident last week; same cart location in Frontierland.

The woman took about 3 steps from the cart after buying a churro when a seagull snatched the entire thing out of her hands...then another, larger bird swooped in and stole the churro from that bird.

I know it's nature but the birds and squirrels are out of control at WDW.

 

[mommystieg]

It's been a couple of years since we witnessed this attack:

Mom, dad a couple of kids were strolling through Frontierland. The parents were in front and the daughter was bringing up the rear, enjoying her churro when a huge seagull swoops down and knocks the churro out of her hands and onto the ground. There was a little commotion so the parents turn around and see the girl standing there with this horrified look on her face and her churro on the ground. Dad picks up the churro, hands it back to her and tells her not to do that again. Poor kid, she has just become a victim of terror from the skies and her parents have no idea what just happened and even fussed at her for "dropping" her churro.

 

[Cap'nJack'sMum]

It's been a couple of years since we witnessed this attack:

Mom, dad a couple of kids were strolling through Frontierland. The parents were in front and the daughter was bringing up the rear, enjoying her churro when a huge seagull swoops down and knocks the churro out of her hands and onto the ground. There was a little commotion so the parents turn around and see the girl standing there with this horrified look on her face and her churro on the ground. Dad picks up the churro, hands it back to her and tells her not to do that again. Poor kid, she has just become a victim of terror from the skies and her parents have no idea what just happened and even fussed at her for "dropping" her churro.

EWWWW? Poor little girl!

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I want to feed one of those cool looking armadillos I see all over the grassy areas on the side of the roadways. Is that OK??? We don't have armadillos in WI.

 

[brownie_17]

My husband and I are victims of a Disney bird attack. We had just bought turkey legs in Frontierland and sat down near Countrybear Jamboree. At first it was a single white bird with the really long legs(don't know what they are). Within seconds, we were surrounded. One actually tried pecking at my toe. My husband tried to throw napkins at them but they just fought over them. When we got up to try to leave I dropped a piece of turkey and they moved in for the kill. Finally a CM came with a broom and chased them off.