Many Scottish Fishermen believed that seagulls were really the souls of dead seamen given new life, particularly those who had been drowned at sea. Thus it was thought unlucky to kill a seagull. Should a seagull fly against the window of a house it was deemed a warning of danger to some member of the family who dwelt therein but who was away at sea. Three gulls flying together was always a death omen for seafarers.

Return To Scottish Folklore