What's the best way to get rid of seagulls?

[krunk]

Our chimney stack, shared with neighbour, has 8 2ft pots on it, which seagulls have been nesting in for years. We've just having a dormer put in and want to do something to move the gulls on while the scaffolding is up.

Builder thinks that a cage around the whole stack might be best, but I've not seen any of them on other houses, and our neighbour is away and out of touch on a tour of the far east.

I've heard that bird spikes just get included in a pile of sticks and the gulls don't move.

I was wondering if removing the pots on our side of the stack might help to move them on, because it would be more exposed, but don't know what sort of price this would involve, just to remove pots and seal the flues, except maybe one of the four, which could be a lower height, so we could have a fire, but the birds don't feel like it's a cosy stack to sit on.

Never used the forum to post before, but wondered if anyone had any experience or thoughts.

 

[scottishslater]

put up a replica bird of prey like a plastic owl sounds strange but it works

 

[SurreyRoofingEstimator]

Ditto to above, apparently the owl really does work

 

[krunk]

Thank you! wish I could just shoot them, but they're protected aren't they?

Will looking more into the owls. Has anyone used spikes? they look like a cheap answer, but not sure they work.

 

[davebwithane]

maybe not illegal ??

http://www.independent.co.uk/enviro...s-calls-in-the-seagull-terminator-500861.html

"Under certain conditions, shooting seagulls is not illegal. All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. However, every year the Government issues a general licence for people to kill herring gulls, to protect human health and safety"

 

[bobby spray]

High speed lead... it's the only way. Otherwise you just give someone else the problem. I was driven to distraction last spring after being dive bombed and shat on numerous times while walking the dog.

 

[Possel]

What about a "sailor's hat" on each pot? That would allow ventilation but they couldn't nest on top.

 

[Alastairreid]

put up a replica bird of prey like a plastic owl sounds strange but it works

We installed a couple of huge plastic owls atop a council recycling station a few years back and the gulls were sitting on them as we drove away....It was the council pest control officer who specified the owls .

I would go with the spikes.

 

[scottishslater]

they must have been soft looking owls lol

 

[Alastairreid]

they must have been soft looking owls lol

Naa the Ayrshire seagulls have more brains than the weegie gulls