Gulls Galore!

Here in Wildlife Enquiries it's prime time for Gull related enquiries. Not a day goes past when we don't get a call or e-mail regarding the welfare of Gulls that have taken residence on the roof of a building whether that be a house, factory or school. These roofs are the urban version of rocky outcrops and cliff tops and provide a safe and suitable place for the adults to make a nest. In fact our towns and cities in general are ideal for these birds to make their home although not everyone is keen on this.

All seven breeding gull species are birds of conservation concern here in the UK. Populations of herring and lesser black-backed gulls have increased in urban areas, both inland and on the coast. This is despite overall declines in some species, particularly herring gulls (which on the coast have declined by 50% since 1970). Five gull species are on the amber list of ‘Birds of Conservation Concern’. The herring gull is now on the red-list and is a priority species in the UKBAP.

It is not always clear why some of our Gull species are declining in their traditional maritime environments but climate change, pollution and over fishing due to changes in commercial fishing practices could be playing a major role. With these pressures many Gull species have moved inland where they are afforded a safe place to nest and an abundance of free food both in our rubbish tips and on the streets due to over flowing bins and being fed.

Is it any wonder that they have taken to our towns and cities?!

Nesting in amongst human habitation does have its benefits but can also have its repercussions, not everyone likes Gulls, they are messy, smelly and loud and this is certainly not everyone's cup of tea but they need us and they need our urban environment until we can fully understand why their traditional environment is under threat and try to work towards restoring this.

The nest for the common urban nesters such as Herring and Lesser Black Backed Gull is a well constructed ‘cup’ made of twigs and grasses. The clutch of two to four eggs is incubated by both sexes for up to 30 days in May and June. The chicks hatch fully covered in down, and are fed by both parents. The chicks leave the nest and move to the relative safety of nearby vegetation when only a few days old. The parents look after them until they fledge after five or six weeks and for a period afterwards. Gulls are long lived birds - the larger species only start to breed when four years old, and some can live to their upper twenties.

This period when the young has fledged is a very dangerous time and often the young chicks can fall from their high rise safety and end up literally anywhere! Gardens, balconies, lower roofs and courtyards seem a popular place for Gull chicks to end up and this is perfectly normal for them but not always for us! Our advice here is to always leave these chicks where they are, often the adults know exactly where they are and will continue to look after them up until the point where the young can fly. If the chick can be placed back on the roof where it nested that is ideal but often this is not an option.

Adult Gulls can be very defensive of their precious baby and will dive bomb anything that goes near it, this is where we receive a large majority of our calls and we try to offer the best advice. If people can avoid contact with these chicks that is the best procedure, try to enter and leave properties away from the Gull chick, do not approach it or try to pick it up and do not linger near it. If needs be an umbrella or hat can be temporarily worn to avoid the worst of the dive bombing, remember this behaviour is only temporary and will not last all summer, if you can do all you can for the Gull then this will save a life and help a species.

Often their is such a dislike for Gulls that people want them removed which is understandable and we do sympathise with people. Please remember that all species of gull are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. This makes it illegal to intentionally or, in Scotland, recklessly injure or kill any gull or damage or destroy an active nest or its contents. In Scotland, it is also illegal to prevent birds from accessing their nest, and in Northern Ireland it is illegal to disturb any nesting bird.

"Seagulls" are a traditional part of our coastal towns here in the UK, we don't want to see them dissapear from our landscape, it would be like losing Fish n' Chips...which ironically they are quite fond of too!