New Jersey Boardwalk Town Calls In Hawks And Falcons To Chase Off Pesky Seagulls Bothering Visitors
OCEAN CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – There's a new strategy to scare off pesky seagulls at one New Jersey beach and boardwalk – they're sending in the raptors!
These aren't the dinosaur kind – officials in Ocean City have hired a company that says birds-of-prey cause the gulls to move away, but won't cause them harm.
Starting Saturday, falcons, hawks, and owls are now flying over the New Jersey boardwalk.
The imposing birds will fly from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
"When East Coast Falcon's professionals fly the raptors overhead, gulls know instinctively to leave an unsafe place. Professional falconry-based bird abatement is a humane, effective solution for removing nuisance birds," Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian said in a statement.
Gillian added it's a necessary step because seagulls have become increasingly aggressive in the area and even take food right out of people's hands.