Gulls are deadly to aircraft, as Newtownards airfield at the head of Strangford Lough knows to its cost. In the mid-80s an Aztec collected a herring gull around Vr. The corpse and leading edge were driven back to the mainspar. While waiting for the insurance assessor, the Aztec had to be parked outside downwind of the hangar, for the smell was terrible.
In 1964 the pilot of a Turbulent was killed by a gull which came through the windscreen and apparently hit him in the face. The gull's remains were found about 60 yds from the crash site.