Get rid of seagulls in garden with one item on lawn

They're one of the most well known symbols of the British seaside - wings outstretched, loud cawing - but seagulls can also be a voracious and even vicious pest that can make your life a misery.

If you happen to live near enough to the coast to get seagulls in your area, you will be well aware of their loud screeching and their aggressive invasion of your personal space. They're also messy, rummaging through bins, swooping for your dinner and generally causing a nuisance. They can also spread disease through droppings, making them something of a health hazard.

Seagulls, which are actually called gulls, and tend to live near coasts but nest slightly inland, can flock in their hundreds but there is one thing you can do to deter seagulls in your garden.

According to the National Geographic magazine, seagulls are afraid of bright, scary owl faces and some will also avoid wooden owls, kites shaped like hawks and decoy foxes or coyotes.

So the best way to deter them could well be to use lawn ornaments.

It says: "Gulls don't like bright, scary owl faces on masks or balloons (often called "terror eyes"), and some will also avoid wooden owls, kites shaped like hawks, and decoy coyotes. So if you don't mind a few lawn ornaments, you can at least keep the annoying birds guessing."

If you want to go one step further, you can use spikes, wires and nets similar to those which can be used to deter pigeons.

It adds: "Seagulls seek out high points on roofs and chimneys, so installing parallel wires, plastic or steel spikes, or polyurethane netting in these areas can help prevent birds from perching."

Finally, similar to hanging CDs, there's a method to repel seagulls using shiny objects.

National Geographic adds: "Reflective material can baffle birds, so mirrored or shiny tape and streamers are an inexpensive, if short-term, solution. An interesting product, called an "optical fire gel," apparently looks like flames to a seagull and can be applied to many surfaces."