Living alongside urban gulls

It’s that time of year – especially for those of us in coastal communities – where some of our neighbours tend to enjoy a few more parties than usual, often spilling out onto the street for a fight or in search of food. We’re talking of course about urban gulls.

We’re often asked why gulls seem particularly rowdy around this time. There are several possible explanations. For starters, many of this year’s chicks will have grown to a point where they’re actively begging for food from their parents, who in turn compete with other birds to bring in as much as possible. Moreover, a lot of young birds will recently have moved out of their nest. So instead of being contained within a small patch, the noise and activity will be spread around a larger area.

This contribution to Aberdeen's Nuart project highlights the city's connection with gulls. Image credit: Kirsty Nutt

Herring gulls are often held up as the ultimate villain when it comes to chip-stealing and generally being a nuisance, however their story is actually one of tragedy. Since 1970, their UK population has declined by over 60%. So if you think there are a lot on your promenade now, just imagine how many have been lost from their natural habitat over the years. Sadly, it’s a similar story across the board, with 23 of Scotland’s 24 seabird species now on the Red or Amber List, indicating that they are among our most threatened wildlife.

Now of course it can be frustrating to find droppings on your car or be woken by a couple of birds arguing over a sachet of tomato ketchup. But then imagine how frustrating it would be if you came home one day to find your cupboards and fridge completely empty, or that someone had stolen all your windows, exposing you to the elements, or that your house wasn’t there at all!

Unfortunately, that is the reality for many of our seabirds. While there are still unanswered questions around gull declines, human-driven activities such as new developments, overfishing and climate change have all had a negative impact on our seabirds at large. Given the plentiful nesting space and feeding opportunities of the city - as well as a lack of predators - it's no surprise that so many are drawn into urban environments. 

Herring gulls are one of the more common species found in towns and cities. Image credit: Grahame Madge

Fortunately, there are ways we can try to solve these problems for human and bird alike. Here are a few tips to help you co-exist with urban gulls.

• Don’t feed them. Gulls can become accustomed to being fed by humans, so if you feed them once they’re liable to approach more people.
• Don’t litter – especially if it’s edible. Dispose of your leftovers in a bin, or if the bin is full keep hold of any rubbish until you find another one. Even better if you want to join a local litter pick.
• Let your local council know when bins are overflowing and encourage them to install gull-proof bins.
• Put covers over cars or anything else you wouldn’t want droppings to land on.
• Being dive-bombed by gulls can by frightening. Hold an umbrella over your head to deter them.
• If there is an unavoidable reason not to have a nest on or near your property, bear in mind that active nests are legally protected. Further advice can be sought from NatureScot.

In light of recent reports, we also want to stress that droppings from gulls or any other seabirds are NOT a driver of marine pollution. We should avoid feeding them, but for the reasons outlined above. These birds have been living on and by the sea for hundreds of thousands of years and play a key role in the marine ecosystem (as do their droppings).

We believe the answer to gulls moving into ‘our’ territory isn’t to get rid of the gulls, it’s to remove temptation and ensure that they have their own healthy, thriving habitats. Achieving that won’t be an easy task and will require the efforts of local and national governments, as well as us all doing our bit.

On top of everything else, the ongoing issue of Avian Influenza has shown how quickly vulnerable populations can be driven into even deeper trouble. So at a time when nature is facing more challenges than ever before, helping out a little is the least we can do, for all our sakes. 

Header image credit: Ben Andrew