Bird problem at WDW

[hulagirl87]

i am constantly telling my friends that birds are going to peck my eyes out. i have a huge phobia of birds and definitely notice that they are rampant in Disney, especially in Frontierland. It's like you have to duck and cover to get yourself to Splash Mountain. Darn seagulls! And when we ate outside at Flame Tree BBQ at AK and a crane swooped down and stood next to my friend and ducks pecked at my feet I thought I might pass out! Birds are the devil!


i'm adding the pic of the big crane at flame tree....

 

[mandy200587]

They are a bit crazy in some areas I have noticed but MGM I think is one of the few places I've never seen it bad.

 

[Camp Rd. Lady]

I worked for a doctor many years ago who told me this true tale. It seems his wife was so bird phobic that she would not even stay in the same room with a caged parakeet or canary. They traveled to Mexico in the 1960's during Thanksgiving. It was a lovely resort hotel with all the amenities. While eating breakfast, a live turkey comes bursting out of the kitchen door with the chef chasing close behind with a huge butcher knife in hand. Well don't you know who the bird runs right to. His wife jumped up on the table screaming hysterically. The waiters, chef and other guests finally manage to corral said bird. It took his wife two days to recover. Can't say the same for the bird!

 

[Viki]

Oh, my, goodness, you all remind me of the first time we took our 3-year old son to the beach and there he was nibbling on his sandwich when suddenly a killer seagull flew down and stole it. Since then he has never liked the ocean!

 

[Shagley]

It's all about establishing YOUR territory, YOUR property, YOUR food. Slam your hand on the table, swoop your head at them like you are going to bite them, smack them away, jab your hand at them with your fingers spread. One or twice and that'll be it, you'll eat undisturbed for the most part

The above advice also works if all the tables at Pecos Bills are filled and you need a place to sit

 

[BillSears]

As long as they don't cut in line I have no problem with them. This poor guy was just trying walk around the park and enjoy the MK like the rest of us...

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

the birds were never really a big deal when i was down there. the only time i saw a massive amount of birds was in Epcot in Mexico near the taco place, but they ran away from you if you got even 20 feet from them.

i've never seen a bird swoop down and grab anything out of anyone's hand.

 

[Dizneydaz]

We've never had a problem with birds nor have we seen birds "attack" but I'm sure it happens. The only time we had a "bird" experience was at Sea World, years ago. My nephew had just put down his beef sandwich on the table and a seagull swooped in and took half the meat. And this was done even though Sea World had done their best to keep the birds out of the restaurant patio area with wires, etc. I took the sandwich back inside and they gladly replaced it.

 

[BlindTyldak]

The above advice also works if all the tables at Pecos Bills are filled and you need a place to sit

yeah, but in that case screaming incoherently at the top of your lungs is also helpful, while the birds don't care.

 

[SnwflkCts]

I've seen sea gulls swoop down and steal food at the beach (not from me - I would fight to the death to eat every fry!) and I can imagine they do the same at WDW.

I saw many birds around Country Bears in MK - they were little crane type birds ... and I can't think what they were nibbling on --- popcorn??? The other place where I saw a number of gulls was at Epcot just going into WS at the McDonald's place -- seemed to really like it there.

I, myself, had no encounters ... but I've been known to frighten waiters (just with my dismayed shriek-not anger) when they try to take my plate away too soon! Do you think I would let a BIRD take my food away???

 

[chewbacca]

The dive bombing birds while you eat are exactly why I cannot eat anywhere that has an outside area. When Dh and I were on our honeymoon we stayed at CBR. I noticed that they put those wires up so the birds did not fly in where people were eating. Well they figured it out and just started flying underneath the wires. So I was running like a mad woman so those black birds would not get me and also trying to avoid all of the ducks that were begging at the tables for food (which people were feeding btw). DH had a good time laughing at me!!

 

[mrzrich]

During my June trip I witness a poor guy by the Canada McDonald's. He was carefully balancing two large fries and two drinks on a cup holder tray. All or a sudden two birds swoop down and knock both servings of fries to the ground knocking over a soda down the guys front in the process. As the guy was overcoming his shock a whole swarm of birds flew in to eat the fries.

A kind CM approached the man and walked off with him. I'm sure his food was replaced. I wonder if he got a new shirt too?

 

[Scraper]

I have never been attacked by birds, even eating sitting in the midst of people who were screaming and being dive bombed as birds stole their food.

The reason why is very simple: the first time they see that you will duck and hide and not do anything, they know they can do it. It's all about establishing YOUR territory, YOUR property, YOUR food. Slam your hand on the table as soon as they land, swoop your head at them like you are going to bite them, smack them away, jab your hand at them with your fingers spread. One or twice and that'll be it, you'll eat undisturbed for the most part, considering a new bird may arrive and you may have to do it again. Noise won't do it, think of how noisy a theme park is and how used to it they are.

This will NOT work for the grackles that dive bomb your head for two weeks out of the year as you walk past "their" very specific spot (which I believe that season would be over by now for Florida), as they are protecting their young who just left the nest.

I can appreciate phobias; mine's leeches . . . I refuse to go in a lake or river PERIOD. but if it helps, aggressive birds respond very well to domineering actions and will tend to leave you alone. Act as confident as possible and don't back down.

like the dog whisperer on the Animal planet you are the bird whisperer. Great advice and just like fighting dogs noise just makes it worse

 

[BlindTyldak]

like the dog whisperer on the Animal planet you are the bird whisperer. Great advice and just like fighting dogs noise just makes it worse

I've worked with wild animals most of my life and just picked up a few tricks is all.

It seems like a lot of people have problems with some of the wildlife around the parks, mostly from just never having to deal with it before or misunderstanding (especially snakes and lizards, it seems). I'm thinking about writing a "Disney Critter Field Guide: Or, What To Do If Your Child Tries To Eat An Anole" thread someday.

 

[Feralpeg]

The seagulls are the worst, but they tend to be seasonal. They are much worse in the early spring and late fall. I think it is too hot for them in Orlando during the summer months.

 

[Danemom]

Just for the record, BT's (nope, I didn't even try to spell it! ) tactics do not work for the very persistant squirrel we met outside the Norway bakery!
He just climbed up me (shaking him off didn't work - I said he was persistant!), walked across the table, and took the almonds off my pretzel. Very brazen!

 

[Disney Doll]

I had a seagull take a Mickey bar out of my hand over near Splash Mountain, and my friend had a seagull take her funnel cake over near the American Adventure.

I think the birds are aggressive, and it is entirely due to guests feeding them.

 

[BlindTyldak]

Just for the record, BT's (nope, I didn't even try to spell it! ) tactics do not work for the very persistant squirrel we met outside the Norway bakery!
He just climbed up me (shaking him off didn't work - I said he was persistant!), walked across the table, and took the almonds off my pretzel. Very brazen!

That I most definitely believe!!!! I've raised squirrels and if they are used to people they know how to get their way pretty much no matter what. And I have the scars to prove it!

 

[Joni317]

We love to eat right outside the Roaring Forks at WL and have noticed a pretty big bird problem there also. One day we were eating breakfast when a huge black bird swooped down and took whatever my little 3 year old son had in his hand (can't remember, maybe a french toast stick?)! Needless to say, this scared him to death and he began crying really hard, along with his 2 year old sister who had seen said incident. He still remembers it and always asks while we're at WDW about if the birds will come and grab his food if we're eating outside. Ugh!

 

[OhhBother]

My mom had her entire funnel cake taken by a seagull that divebombed straight into her head. This was outside American Adventure.

A few days later, I saw a seagull swoop in and steal a little boy's hot dog out of the bun in the Magic Kingdom. He started crying, and his mom turned around and started yelling at him for losing his hot dog. So I told her a bird stole it -- not sure she believed me.

My own personal horror story was back in the Discovery Island days. A huge scarlet ibis flew into the side of my head. It was terrible.

By the way, I love birds -- especially shore birds. I just don't want them stealing my food.

Also, the "crane" type birds people keep referencing are egrets -- the larger ones are great egrets, and the smaller ones are snowy egrets.