Seagulls are bad for your mental health: 'Epidemic' of dive-bombing birds 'like the Luftwaffe' are blamed for new effect on terrorised townsfolk

UK Daily Mail ^ | 10/11/1024 | Claire Ellcott and Shannon Mcguigan

[DFG]

They are locally feared for their terrifying attacks on unsuspecting passers-by.

But the situation in Elgin, Moray, has become so bad that residents are being asked to report if dive-bombing seagulls are affecting their mental health.

Elgin Community Council intends to use the results to make a case to Holyrood for improved control measures, after disputing a NatureScot report that seagull populations are declining.

Pest controllers say the town is faced with ‘epidemic’ numbers during the breeding season.

Rob Teasdale, of Specialist Vermin Control, said: ‘They are like the Luftwaffe the way they come off the roof and everyone dives for cover as they swoop at things.’

By yesterday afternoon, eight per cent of respondents to the survey on the council’s Facebook page had said the birds were affecting their mental health. NatureScot was contacted for comment.

It comes as seagulls wreaked havoc across Britain from shoplifting packet of crisps, flying down chimneys, and even re-creating ominous scenes reminiscent of an Alfred Hitchcock horror movie.

From Dorset to Glasgow, no one is safe from the dive-bombing menaces of the sky, who regularly swipe chips from unsuspecting seaside tourists, with one Isle of Man business even offering seagull insurance to victims.

Hawkins BBQ, announced their new £1 policy offering a free new meal to any punter who had been left traumatised by a gull nabbing their food - if they had taken out the coverage.

It seems nothing can deter the hungry pests, with one even causing havoc in a woman's kitchen in Aberdeen.

The clip shows the winged fiend flying around the kitchen before attempting to shuffle its way out of the window.

Gillian McCabe, 40, from Aberdeen, was alerted to the intruder after the family dog started growling and barking in the other room.

[hoagy62]

Here in the Puget Sound region, even though we’re fairly far inland, we still have lots of seagulls in the area. I’ve never really had a problem with any of them except once, when I was sort of “attacked” by a seagull. In reality, it dive-bombed me..or rather, used my car as a bombing range/toilet.
What a mess. Thankfully, I was nearby a car wash and got it taken care of immediately.

[Ken H]

Those Fokkers were Seagulls.