Snack attack: Dive-bombing seagulls shutter outdoor dining at Sullivan’s

Under the blazing sun, dark shadows loom over families hauling ice cream and food out of Sullivan’s on Castle Island — seagulls, watching and waiting.

Until a fry falls.

“Bird!” shrieks a woman clutching her shake, ducking and running away from a hungry gull diving just feet away before turning to a man lagging behind with their food. “Get cover!”

Her fears aren’t unfounded; so many dive-bombing seagulls have stolen meals from customers at the Southie landmark that the restaurant was forced to close their outdoor dining this week.

Sully’s was opened on Castle Island in 1951, regularly attracting a crowd of South Boston locals and visitors to the historic beachfront park.

Caution tape now surrounds the green tables outside, with signs reading “Beware Seagulls.”

“In the last 40 years, I’ve never seen it like this before,” said South Boston local Evelyn, who said she’s been coming to the restaurant since she was 10 years old. “One swooped down and took the fries right off the table next to us last week.”

Patrons around Sully’s called the birds “vicious,” “scary” and “aggressive.” Before the outdoor dining closed, the birds were stealing four or five meals a day, one park worker said, and even with precautions in place, one stole a cheeseburger right out of a kid’s hands earlier Wednesday.

“We love the ice cream — chocolate and vanilla,” said Victor, walking out of Sullivan’s with two kids, Charlie and Caleb, and three cones.

“But Charlie’s afraid of the seagulls,” he added, as the young girl nodded along adamantly and looked up.

Inside, workers warn customers to watch out for the birds and cover their fries with tin foil before they go. Patrons noted the restaurant will replace any food lost to the birds.

Prior to this summer, the tables were closed off through the pandemic era. People speculated that the issue may be the fresh influx of food or an increase in the number of people feeding the wildlife.

“For now, we should just pay attention to the sign,” said local Joe Cappuccio, who said he “battled one for his fries” just the other day, pointing to a sign warning people off feeding the gulls. “Best to watch out for the seagulls and their natural order.”

The Department of Conservation and Recreation signage notes feeding the birds has negative effects on the animals and the environment, causing large congregations to build up around the food sources.

Customers passed along suggestions to the park workers and Sully’s staff, from netting over the area, to moving the tents under the trees nearby, to playing noise deterrents to keep the birds away. Someone even taped up a picture of an owl.

“Once you take away the food source and people stop feeding them, they’ll go away,” said Evelyn, as birds clumped around a pool of fallen ice cream behind her. “Head back to the ocean.”