Seagulls are a fact of life in Cook County—perching on roofs, messing up cars, and sometimes acting threatening toward people who get too near their nesting sites. Most of the time the birds are left alone, however, on Friday, August 5, an immature seagull was causing enough of a problem at the Grand Marais Post Office that Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Specialist Dave Ingebrigtsen responded and relocated the bird.
Reached after the incident, Ingebrigtsen said normally the DNR does not relocate birds. “I get one or two calls every year, but our job is to offer technical advice as how to keep gulls away. Exclusion is best; if you can prevent them from going somewhere to begin with, that is for the best,” said Ingebrigtsen.
Gulls are protected under the federal Migratory Birds Act, said Ingebrigtsen, so they cannot be harmed. “Moving a nest is not allowed,” said Ingebrigtsen, adding that in this instance, the immature gull was causing a problem for post office patrons.
Grand Marais Postmaster Frank Lehto said that there are over 1,100 post office boxes at the Grand Marais Post Office and approximately 500 people enter the building every day. He asked the DNR to do something as the adult birds were harassing patrons and there was concern that the young bird would not only cause a traffic problem in the post office parking lot, but also nearby Highway 61.
Ingebrigtsen and Lehto worked together to catch the young bird in a box while the adult seagulls swooped around them. Lehto stayed under cover of an umbrella, but Ingebrigtsen received fallout for his efforts. “Frank had an ugly umbrella that kept him safe, but I did get pooped on!” said Ingebrigtsen.
Lehto said he was ready with the umbrella, as he had been using it all along when entering and leaving the post office. “I had been attacked a number of times before we removed it. I have to give Dave credit, he really got it. I thought that seagulls accidentally messed on people, but apparently that is a defense tactic. The umbrella was just dripping.”
The young gull was placed in a box with a net on top and transported to the beach behind the Best Western Hotel. Ingebrigtsen said he hoped the adult gulls would follow him to the beach, but they did not, at least not immediately. The young bird did not appear to be injured, although it had ruffled feathers. There were a number of other gulls in the vicinity, so Ingebrigtsen said it is hoped the young gull found another place to live.
Unfortunately, at press time, Lehto said the adults were still hanging out at the post office. Either the young seagull has returned to the nest or another egg hatched.
Lehto said this is the first year that seagulls have nested on the post office roof. In the days before the seagulls built the nest, Lehto said he noticed sticks and debris on the roof. He swept it off, thinking it was debris from windstorms; however, it was apparently the start of the seagull nest. He said over the weekend, the nest had been constructed.
Lehto said measures would be taken to try to deter gulls from nesting on the roof next year. He is investigating guards to put on the roof.
Ingebrigtsen stressed that if a gull is creating problems for a business, they may not move or harm it unless a permit is received from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Ingebrigtsen said FWS permits are only issued after frightening techniques, physical barriers, or both have been used correctly and qualified personnel certify that these methods have been ineffective.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may be contacted in Grand Rapids at (218) 327- 3350 for more information. Ingebrigtsen may be contacted in the Grand Marais wildlife office at (218) 387-3034.
Leave a Reply