I live in a small block of flats by the sea and the residents have sought the advice of a sea gull removing service who recommend the removal of these birds nests in every season. I am not happy with this, least because I am sure it is against the law but that it is not the right thing to do. Is there another way these birds can be less inclined to want to nest there than to remove their nests?
Hi Gull and welcome to the RSPB Forum. Enjoy yourself here
Anyone that tells you that it is alright to kill seagulls who are not legitmate people are to be avoided at all costs. Sadly there are cowboys about who would happily kill gulls for a profit.
So you do not want to get yourself involved with people like that due to the serious legal technicalities of the issue at hand
I would ring your local Council and talk to the environmental Officer and see what they suggest what you do
Of course the RSPB moderators, and the other members will give you support her too.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Welcome to the forums, Gull. The legal ins and outs of gull nest - or chick, heaven forbid - removal are quite complex, and the fact that the law is different for the two regular roof nesting species, the herring and lesser black-backed gull, whose chicks look practically identical, makes it even more difficult to 'do' anything about roof-nesting gulls and being certain that the actions stay within the law. Any other gull species is fully protected, and since there is no option in the law to remove their nests, correct identification of the birds is crucial.
However it sometimes looks in urban and suburban areas, gull numbers are declining in the UK - so much so that herring gull is now red-listed with somewhere around 60% population decline, and all other gull species are amber listed because of somewhat smaller but still worrying levels of population decline. Any action that prevents a bird from nesting and producing young in any one season will contribute to further declines in the species. Yes, roof-nesting gulls can be a big nuisance in some situations (more so for some people than others, which is an added complexity in the issue), but there are ways and means of preventing gulls from nesting on roofs where conflict can occur in the first place rather than allowing them to choose their nesting site and then have the nests destroyed. The best deterrent is dependent on the physical size, shape etc of the site, and advice can be sought from companies that specialise in bird deterrents, and from the local council who should also be able to advice on deterrents.
Those clauses in the Wildlife and Countryside Act that allow gull nests removed to protect public health do also stipulate that such methods can only be used if non-lethal methods have been tried and failed, and that the threat to public health is great enough to warrant such extreme action. It also needs to be pointed out that nuisance and damage to property are not legal reasons for nest removal or killing of chicks or adults. The only reason is public health, and even there, a specific one-off licence from Defra or one of the devolved environment departments is needed before lethal action can be resorted to, especially if killing of chicks and/or adult herring gulls is proposed. Anyone wanting to kill gulls of any age or remove nests needs to consult the specific terms and conditions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act licences before doing anything in order to ensure that any action taken is legal, and preferably also consulting the statutory conservation agency for further advice.
Trochilus said: Welcome to the forums, Gull. The legal ins and outs of gull nest - or chick, heaven forbid - removal are quite complex, and the fact that the law is different for the two regular roof nesting species, the herring and lesser black-backed gull, whose chicks look practically identical, makes it even more difficult to 'do' anything about roof-nesting gulls and being certain that the actions stay within the law. Any other gull species is fully protected, and since there is no option in the law to remove their nests, correct identification of the birds is crucial. However it sometimes looks in urban and suburban areas, gull numbers are declining in the UK - so much so that herring gull is now red-listed with somewhere around 60% population decline, and all other gull species are amber listed because of somewhat smaller but still worrying levels of population decline. Any action that prevents a bird from nesting and producing young in any one season will contribute to further declines in the species. Yes, roof-nesting gulls can be a big nuisance in some situations (more so for some people than others, which is an added complexity in the issue), but there are ways and means of preventing gulls from nesting on roofs where conflict can occur in the first place rather than allowing them to choose their nesting site and then have the nests destroyed. The best deterrent is dependent on the physical size, shape etc of the site, and advice can be sought from companies that specialise in bird deterrents, and from the local council who should also be able to advice on deterrents. Those clauses in the Wildlife and Countryside Act that allow gull nests removed to protect public health do also stipulate that such methods can only be used if non-lethal methods have been tried and failed, and that the threat to public health is great enough to warrant such extreme action. It also needs to be pointed out that nuisance and damage to property are not legal reasons for nest removal or killing of chicks or adults. The only reason is public health, and even there, a specific one-off licence from Defra or one of the devolved environment departments is needed before lethal action can be resorted to, especially if killing of chicks and/or adult herring gulls is proposed. Anyone wanting to kill gulls of any age or remove nests needs to consult the specific terms and conditions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act licences before doing anything in order to ensure that any action taken is legal, and preferably also consulting the statutory conservation agency for further advice.
Thanks for your reply, I myself am against any removal of these birds and their nests. I love the seagulls and am positive they are herring gulls. I live on the kent coast near Botany Bay. The company who wishes to remove the nests have stipulated that if any action be taken against them for the removal of the nests they will not take any responsibility and any blame falls on the shoulders of the residents managenent company. There are 3 directors and I am one of them, unfortunately I am out voted. The area in question is approx 300 square metres. They pose no health risk whatsoever, just annoying for a few of the residents and for their cars!! Not even any dive bombing. The gull busting company they have contacted have no regard for these birds whatsoever and will probably destroy the eggs or kill the chicks. I was somewhat disgusted by their website. What can I do? I am wholeheartedly against this. Obviously, this is difficult for me because I have to live with the other residents but it goes against my morals to allow this to happen.
Nicki C said: Hi Gull and welcome to the RSPB Forum. Enjoy yourself here Anyone that tells you that it is alright to kill seagulls who are not legitmate people are to be avoided at all costs. Sadly there are cowboys about who would happily kill gulls for a profit. So you do not want to get yourself involved with people like that due to the serious legal technicalities of the issue at hand I would ring your local Council and talk to the environmental Officer and see what they suggest what you do Of course the RSPB moderators, and the other members will give you support her too. Regards Kathy and Dave
Thanks for your reply. Yes they are cowboys and I have checked out their website. They are quite disgusting in their attitude to seagulls. It makes me sick to think that the directors of my management company wish to give them our money to destroy the seagulls and eggs. It is a complex situation. I am one of three directors who has been out voted. There is no real reason to remove the gulls other than they make a noise on the roof and poo on their cars. My local council, Thanet district council will surprise me if they come up with a solution. I shall try them after the holiday season when they re-open, but I am open to suggestion in the mean time. Thanks
The gull-busters are wrong in stating that they could wash their hands off any responsibility. If someone engages the services of a 'bird removal' company and the said company does something that contravenes the Wildlife and Countryside Act, both the company and whoever ordered the action to be done are equally liable in the eyes of the law. W&C Act is a piece of criminal law, and so wildlife offences are no trifling matter. I would seriously rethink the whole thing, but if the management committee continues to wish to go down the route of nest removal rather than deterrents, then at least use the services of a reputable company who know the law and will stay within the law. I think it is important for you to be absolutely clear of the current legal situation, and so please do contact Natural England and Defra wildlife licencing section for the most up to date information about the legal status of the different gull species. Considering that the birds are causing a nuisance rather than a public health problem, I would say that nest removal and other lethal control methods would be illegal in any case, so it is doubly important to discuss this with Natural England so that you know precisely where you stand with regard to the law. I don't have the telephone numbers at hand over the holidays, but if you give us a call in Wildlife Enquiries next week, I can let you have the relevant contacts.
Defra gives some very misleading information about this on their web site as this was brought up in parlament last year
the main thing is that these birds take at lest three years before they breed longer in most cases llonger
but the debate in parlament seemed not to realise this and allowing them to breed wont produce 1000s of birds that will continue to bird in the same area
the friedly bid watcher
I can't really offer any advice, but you have my support as I know exactly what it's like to live alongside Herring Gulls and Herring Gull haters.. people talk so badly of these animals, it can get very depressing, especially if you love gulls like you and I.
I love Columbidae.
Fieldfare said: I can't really offer any advice, but you have my support as I know exactly what it's like to live alongside Herring Gulls and Herring Gull haters.. people talk so badly of these animals, it can get very depressing, especially if you love gulls like you and I.
problem is with seagulls nesting on roofs is the fault of archeitects designing and building flats with flat roofs and other buildings with flat roofs if buildings had pitched roofs then the gulls would not nest on buildings.