HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem XIII - Downtown Oshkosh Seagull Mitigation p a
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a,
Gulls provide excellent opportunities for bird watching and help
keep beaches clean by scavenging on dead fish. However, gulls
often form nesting colonies on city rooftops, causing damage to
HVAC systems, roofing membranes,vehicles and creating a threat
to human safety. If there is a source of water nearby, you will
likely encounter gulls. Gulls are protected by federal laws, but
there are ways to manage gull nuisance conflicts.
Don't Feed Wildlife
•' Bread has low nutritional value for gulls and feeding leads to gulls being '..
unafraid of human and even following humans for handouts. This can result
in aggressive birds and pose human health and safety risks.
• Ensure garbage containers are covered and parking lots are cleaned often.
• Remove unnecessary water sources through filling and grading, such as
shallow puddles.
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Protect Your Pete
• Keep pets leashed and under your supervision and keep cats indoors to
avoid encounters with gulls.
Quick Facts
Discourage Gulls • There are many species of gulls that
• Prevent gull access and nesting by installing stainless steel wires placed call Wisconsin home or migrate
parallel to each other at 15 foot spacing over the rooftop. Bird spikes,` through. The most common are
gels,repellents and other bird exclusion devices are also sold in stores and herring gulls and ring-billed gulls.
online, although they can be cost prohibitive depending on the size of the Gulls are among the few animals
coverage required adapted to drink saltwater. Special
glands allow them to expel excess
• Gulls that gain access and attempt nest building can be harassed using salt.
various scare tactics and their nest without eggs can be removed without Galls can be quite clever and can
a U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service depredation permit. If eggs are present a learn(as well as teach other gulls)
permit is required for removal or disturbance. tricks such as stamping their feet to
• Scare tactics can also be used prior to gull sound like rain to trick earthworms
... � °�^° to come to the surface and dropping
establishment.Noise and visual deterrents such as pp' g
PLEASE DO NOT mollusks onto rocks too en them.
motion-activated alarms,gull distress calls,predator pEEDTHEGULLs P
decoys, and inflatables. However,these items Because gull species are federally
must be moved consistently,or gulls will become protected'migratory birds,lethal
habituated. gull removal is allowed only through
Ta3in<— consultation with USDA'Wildlife
• Dogs maybe used to illicit the fright response in Services and permit issuance by
gulls when conflicts arise,however gulls cannot be hanned in the process. the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Egg oiling and addling are useful tools to curb reproduction,but do require Contact the USDA Wildlife Services
permits. Contact USDA Wildlife Services for more information. at 1-800433-0663(in southern
Wisconsin)or 1-800-228-1368(in
For more information,visit our webpage: northern Wisconsin).
oz dnr.wi.gov
RPM WM-570 2014 Urban Wildlife Factsheet: Gulls