The birds attack !!!

ericpabear · Post by **ericpabear** » Feb Sun 17, 2008 11:56 am

My family and I went to WDW for a week during Mardi Gras. One day we went to EPCOT. While at EPCOT, around the World Show Case area, we decided on turkey legs for lunch. My daughter had picked out a bench for us to sit on while eating. I noticed A LOT of seagulls in the area, so I decided to move to a new location. While walking only a few feet, right across from us was a young lady at a McDonalds trying to leave the "pick-up" window. She let out a small scream. A scream out of supprise not fear. The seagulls were attacking her tray as she was walking. I had my head turned looking at her in amazment, when I noticed my wife waveing her arms in front of me. She was chaseing off the seagulls that were attacking my tray too.

cap396 · Post by **cap396** » Feb Sun 17, 2008 12:03 pm

I haven't had any experience with the birds at WDW, but I know from experience that the ones at Disneyland Resort are also a bit agressive. I guess it's because there is so much food around, and they've probably learned that the chances of them getting away with food without harm is pretty good.

stinoi · Post by **stinoi** » Feb Sun 17, 2008 1:30 pm

I wonder how WDW will address this issue. They have some nifty ways of keeping the bugs at bay, but I don't know about birds.

BTW, your tale has now encouraged me to eat all of my meals at WDW indoors.

Sharonofwindham · Post by **Sharonofwindham** » Feb Sun 17, 2008 3:08 pm

Living in Maine, I'm used to aggressive seagulls. There is a restaurant in Cape Elizabeth called the Lobster Shack. The gulls are very aggressive only if you leave your food unattended, such as looking a way for a moment, lol. I have never seen such a thing at Disney. At a restaurant in the MK I've encountered smaller birds that stay very close waiting for a handout, I love them so of course they got what they were waiting for. I think we are definitely the problem. The animal lovers who share, and people who aren't careful with their leftovers. A good start would be to remind Disney guests not to feed the birds, and to take care of their trash quickly. These birds are very smart and are easily trained as to where the good food is!

SWHorn · Post by **SWHorn** » Feb Sun 17, 2008 6:48 pm

I've been saving up for this rant.

stinoi wrote:I wonder how WDW will address this issue.

Apparently by doing absolutely nothing at all. This has been a major problem for YEARS, and it remains one of my biggest complaints about my trips to WDW.

To be perfectly honest, it is not enjoyable to spend a vast majority of my trip dodging birds and being fearful of an attack or dropping. My dad has been pooped on by birds at the world 3 times now. It has also happened to my brother-in-law and other members of my family. While it is still cause for much laughter in my family, it's really not funny to me when I'm there. I hate birds. I think they're disgusting.

The bird situation at WDW is not something that they need to overlook any longer. There are ways to keep the seagulls from coming to the park in such a manner. Obviously, they are somewhat seasonal and not as prominent some times as others, but they are way too aggressive. I have witnessed way to many attacks on people's food, items, strollers, and bodies. Not to mention the droppings.

We pay extremely too much money to go to WDW to spend our time running from birds and wiping poop off in the bathrooms.

//end rant.

TheCheshireStitch · Post by **TheCheshireStitch** » Feb Sun 17, 2008 7:01 pm

has anyone else noticed that in that same area that ericpabear described, near one of the bigger generic disney stores (it's basically in the center of epcot, but i forget the name of it) you can hear a clicking? it's to keep the birds away, we've been told, but i don't see them doing much good! my hearing is great (better than my hubby's) but the sound really irritates his ears...dunno why!

speaking of birds at epcot, i've seen a really strange one there! i'm really into ornithology, and noticed an out of place goose outside of the land pavillion-- an egyptian goose! they're actually from africa (as its name implies) but have spread to the UK and the netherlands...but i never heard of them spreading as far a s the US! after doing some research online, i found that they supposedly escaped from an exotic animal farm during one of the recent hurricane seasons. one guy claimed he captured one from downtown disney and sold it to a zoo in northern florida

anyway, they're known for being aggressive if provoked, so i'd keep kids with food away! one didn't mind me, and some other people, being a few feet away to take a pic. here it is:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2412/208 ... 7ac7_b.jpg

ericpabear · Post by **ericpabear** » Feb Sun 17, 2008 7:03 pm

Not an attack, but another bird story. While staying at the Wilderness Lodge, we were walking by the pool thinking of going for a swim, when we heard the life gaurd tell swimmers NOT to bother the ducks that were in the pool. The people were not harming the ducks, just trying to herd the ducks out of the HUMAN pool. We didn't go for a swim.

Also, over at EPCOT, around Spaceship Earth, and Innovations, isn't there a sound track of birds in disstress to scare off the birds from the plaza area? I know I have heard the birds scretch'n and assumed it was a sound track.

TheCheshireStitch · Post by **TheCheshireStitch** » Feb Sun 17, 2008 7:05 pm

ericpabear, yes, i've heard that screeching, too. i think it was a red-tailed hawk recording to scare starlings and house sparrows away.

DIAC1987 · Post by **DIAC1987** » Feb Sun 17, 2008 7:28 pm

"speaking of birds at epcot, i've seen a really strange one there! i'm really into ornithology, and noticed an out of place goose outside of the land pavillion-- an egyptian goose! they're actually from africa (as its name implies) but have spread to the UK and the netherlands...but i never heard of them spreading as far a s the US! after doing some research online, i found that they supposedly escaped from an exotic animal farm during one of the recent hurricane seasons. one guy claimed he captured one from downtown disney and sold it to a zoo in northern florid"

I actually look after that bird all the time, since it attracts a lot of guests, and none of them know what it actually is. I feed it from time to time, but only because it lives nowhere near its usual habitat, so I feel sorry for it. Plus its obviously lonely, as it goes after the other ducks for companionship..

TheCheshireStitch · Post by **TheCheshireStitch** » Feb Sun 17, 2008 8:13 pm

aw, that's very sweet diac1987. i'm glad someone is looking out for it. i wonder why disney hasn't tried to do anything about it-- perhaps too much red tape?

some people are worried about them breeding in fl and becoming an invasive species, but i've heard that isn't a problem at wdw yet. i have heard, however, that they are breeding in other parts of fl.

i still think it's important to show individual animals compassion like you have. thanks from a fellow animal lover

yodiwan1 · Post by **yodiwan1** » Feb Sun 17, 2008 10:50 pm

about 10 years ago my family was eating hot dogs outside of the American Adventure when seagulls attacked my mom. SHe as just leaving the cart holding 5 dogs, and 5 drinks on trays. She had her hand cut and was completely freaked out. Disney gave us all free meals at any palce we wanted to eat, and a days worth of free tix, there are 5 of us. To this day my mom won't eat hot dogs not at her own house! lol

Sharonofwindham · Post by **Sharonofwindham** » Feb Mon 18, 2008 12:38 am

The people that are having the worst problems with the birds, what time of year do you typically visit DisneyWorld? Just curious. We usually visit in the fall and haven't had a problem so far, but would love to attend the flower and garden festival someday. Maybe thats when our luck will run out! Walt Disney was an incredible person who respected, and loved all creatures. Refusing to do away with a family of woodchucks that loved the melons from his garden, insisting that he could buy melons at the store if he wanted, they couldn't. At Disneyland, buying a box of popcorn at one of the stands to feed the ducks. He would definitely want to rectify this problem, but in a humane way, just as the people at WDW are doing. It took time for it to get this bad, it will take time to fix it! For people that find birds and other creatures disgusting, maybe you should spend your money at the Mall of America, or some other place where you can stay clean and safe without all those pesky critters to bother you

Seriously though, sorry to here about all of you that have had problems, but still respect the birds that are usually just helping to clean up the messes we humans make

HSolo29 · Post by **HSolo29** » Feb Mon 18, 2008 4:47 pm

We too have had issues with the birds at the World - mostly at Epcot. This was a few years ago and we were walking on the path connecting Future World and World Showcase when this flock of birds flew overhead and one ended up leaving a present in my aunt's ear. We were rolling in laughter at the time, but now looking back at it, it was pretty disgusting.

We have noticed the screeching recording as well. If I remember correctly, it's right outside the Electric Umbrella. We were eating lunch there one day and my dad was getting annoyed because it kept repeating over and over again.

cap396 · Post by **cap396** » Feb Mon 18, 2008 6:25 pm

We have noticed the screeching recording as well.

Well, that indicates to me that they are at least trying to do something about it, and trying to do something in a humane way. That recording wouldn't physically harm the birds.

SWHorn · Post by **SWHorn** » Feb Mon 18, 2008 8:39 pm

Sharonofwindham wrote:The people that are having the worst problems with the birds, what time of year do you typically visit DisneyWorld?

We visit WDW at all times of the year (minus the summer these days). We encounter the birds mostly when we visit in the spring.

Sharonofwindham wrote:Walt Disney was an incredible person who respected, and loved all creatures. Refusing to do away with a family of woodchucks that loved the melons from his garden, insisting that he could buy melons at the store if he wanted, they couldn't.

There is more than enough room for birds on this planet. The only reason they are at WDW in the first place is because we are there with food. This is like saying that I shouldn't patch a hole in my roof because the water has a right to come into my house that I built on its land. I wonder what WDW would do if we saw an alligator walking through Tomorrowland. They are creatures, too (creatures in their natural habitat that we humans invaded).

Sharonofwindham wrote:He would definitely want to rectify this problem, but in a humane way, just as the people at WDW are doing. It took time for it to get this bad, it will take time to fix it!

What exactly are they doing that is rectifying the problem? The problem has existed since I've been visiting regularly starting in the mid-90s. The problem has not gotten any better. If anything, it's gotten worse. There are definitely humane ways to "remove" the aggressive birds. Whatever ways WDW is using, they aren't working.

sharonofwindham wrote:For people that find birds and other creatures disgusting, maybe you should spend your money at the Mall of America, or some other place where you can stay clean and safe without all those pesky critters to bother you

Awesome. I don't like birds that attack or defecate on me. So, I should just shut up and never go outside again. Thanks for the advice.

Sharonofwindham wrote:Seriously though, sorry to here about all of you that have had problems, but still respect the birds that are usually just helping to clean up the messes we humans make

Take the tree-hugging somewhere else. I don't have to respect birds. I don't like them. We have custodians to clean up the messes we humans make. Thank goodness I live in a country where I am free to complain about birds and, *gasp*, still visit a place that has them.