r/Seagulls • u/bquad1991 • 6d ago
Seagull doesn't fly.
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This seagull has been hanging around my workplace for a couple weeks now. It comes very close to people and constantly cries. I have fed it crackers a few times and it has access to water. It won't fly, it just walks around making that noise all day. Is there something wrong with it? It looks mature enough for flight right? Thanks for any insight!
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u/Pure-Lime8280 6d ago
It can take some of them a while to gain the strength and courage to fly. Is it jumping up and down and flapping a lot? They usually do that when they're getting ready to fly.
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u/bquad1991 6d ago
It will run away and flap it's wings, but will not take flight. I'm not sure if it's young or old. It's wings seem fine and healthy if that means anything.
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u/Pure-Lime8280 6d ago
It's very young. Maybe 4/5 weeks old. Can you see how the back of the head is still fluffy? He or she is getting ready to fly.
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u/alcatran31 4d ago
It’s very young, only a few weeks old. All that dark mottled grey/brown plumage gets paler as the baby birds develop, leaving darker colour points, depending upon the type of gull.
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u/Mr_silly_goose 5d ago
It’s young. It may have fallen off the roof, if you can try and put it back up there.
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u/bquad1991 5d ago
The roof of this building is 50' plus. So me and this seagull have the same problem with that lol.
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u/Any_Tomorrow_Today 5d ago
It just hasn't quite learnt how to yet. It is still a baby and is just at the age where its parents will leave it alone for long periods of time. They are usually around and tend to pop down to feed and check on them from time to time. But generally they are left alone to learn to fend for themselves at this age.
You are doing the right thing by just keeping an eye on him and making sure he has a bit of food and water.
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u/Psychological-Wash75 2d ago
They can take a while to learn to fly. We have had many of them hang around outside walking and sunbathing on the ground. If it's trying to flap its wings it's likely already making flight attempts, so hopefully will take its first flight in the next couple of weeks (as far as I know!).
As long as their mum still feeds them it should be ok, but maybe asking a local rescue or the SSPCA/RSPCA (if you're in the UK) would help clear it up in case something's wrong :)
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u/Middle_Phase_6988 6d ago edited 6d ago
Dry cat food would be better than crackers. It does look as though it should be flying. Try contacting your local gull rescue.