Don’t Like Seagulls

[weecalf]

Vicious not all that nice at all

[JimF]

I once saw one eat a pigeon alive in Venice. No difference really from a lioness and a gazelle, or two monkeys.

[weecalf]

jimFnever seen those on a roof

[Rosie29]

I think they are " vicious " when they are in an environment where they have been encouraged by people who feed them. Example seaside resorts. I've had a sandwich whipped out of my hand when I was at Eastbourne.

[Mamyalynne]

Monkeys are quite partial to roof perching.

[weecalf]

I live 10 miles from coast is this wan lost ?

[andy-hughes]

I'm not sure that you can apply the adjective 'vicious' to a simple sea bird.

Granted, they have a 'vicious' look about them, but that is just anthropomorphising, and is not actually a valid way of looking at a wild creature.

In terms of eating another bird, as advised, they are no different from any other animal that hunts and kills live prey.

As to not being 'nice' - again you are applying human characteristics to a species incapable of understanding them, or appearing to do so, being 'nasty', or 'nice'.

It's the same argument that applies when people go "Aaaah" when they see pictures of fur seals because they have smooth fur, huge eyes, long eyelashes, and they look really 'cuddly'.

The reality is, if you tried to 'cuddle' a fur seal it would probably bite your fingers off!

[Mamyalynne]

Is this wan ripping your tiles off?

[jourdain2]

No, they're not very nice. Mind you, that when push comes so shove in survival any bird will do its best to protect itself and its young. I live about 7 or 8 miles from the North Sea coast and we are starting to see seagulls around. They have become very aggressive in Filey and Bridlington and are attacking people. Reason: no easy pickings of chips, ice-cream cones etc..

We seem to have messed-up nature (which some of us thought we had done).

[weecalf]

Should I have tweeted Opening title then Andy ?

[237SJ]

They are "vicious" at the moment because they are breeding and have babies. They are just being protective of their young (as most animals would be)

[ladybirder]

Exactly 237.
And to be awkward there is no such bird as a seagull. They are Gulls and the most vicious are Herring Gulls.

[Baldric]

We live right on the Sea Front, believe me those things are nasty.

[sanmac]

Golly gee, Baldric, the little beggars really don't realize that they're being "nasty", doncha know...You are merely engaging in anthropomorphising:)

[Baldric]

I do apologise, I will try not to make a habit of it ;-)

[JimF]

Just make sure you don't descend into pathetic fallacy!

[237SJ]

Black backed gulls can be pretty feisty too. We have polluted and damaged their environment much more than they have damaged ours so I can't complain if they nick the odd chip.

[Mamyalynne]

We live a fair way from the coast and a couple of times a year we get visited by black headed gulls, they must see the expanse of water as they fly over.

They rarely stay long as the geese and/or herons make them most unwelcome.

[Patsy33]

One nicked my blueberry muffin off my plate on seafront cafe a few years ago...
I don't like them!

[sanmac]

Well, Patsy, if you don't like blueberry muffins, its a good thing that the gull stole it:)

[Prudie]

I think they are beautiful birds, I always thought if I could be a bird I'd be a gull.