Guidance - gull management

Planning and implementing a strategy to help tackle gull problems

Background

The presence of large numbers of gulls, particularly in urban areas, can sometimes cause problems for people in residential, commercial or industrial settings.  These problems include aggressive behaviour of breeding birds, scavenging and spreading litter from bins, and noise issues. 

Understanding the differences between a risk to public health or safety and what is nuisance behaviour can be difficult. Managing behaviours which present a clear and obvious risk to public health or safety may require a licence to be issued in addition to preventative measures. However, for general nuisance behaviours, there is no licensable purpose.  However, if the nuisance behaviour is directed at a particularly vulnerable group or individual then the impact of that behaviour can become such that it presents a risk to public health or safety, below is some guidance on what we consider to be a risk to public health or safety and what a nuisance behaviour is.

Gulls, licensing and the law

The law protects all wild birds, including gulls and their nests and eggs (Birds and the law).  Whilst many actions can be undertaken to help prevent or minimise problems caused by gulls without contravening the law, sometimes it may be necessary e.g. by removing nests or eggs where problems are evident or expected.  In these instances NatureScot is able to licence such activities as a last resort in order to preserve public health or safety.  Information on how to apply for a licence is available on the NatureScot website.

 What is Gull Management?    

If the presence of gulls is causing a risk to public health or safety it is critical to address this at the earliest possible opportunity to minimise the risks posed.  Failing to do this not only increases the risk but also means that it is unlikely to provide a longer-term solution to problems.

A hierarchical approach to gull management measures must be taken.  In the first instance, the site owner and/or manager should aim to prevent problems occurring (avoidance) through the use of scaring devices and physical preventative measures such as nets, wires, spikes and annual pre-nesting season debris removal.  Where this fails to deter birds, nest and egg removal should be undertaken to prevent breeding.  Only as a very last resort, when all other measures have failed should chicks and adult birds be killed.

It should be noted that the problems caused by gulls are not necessarily restricted to breeding birds, and that during the winter our towns and cities may be visited by birds that have migrated from the continent – this means that measures to resolve problems will be dependent on exactly what those problems are.  A good, reputable, professional pest controller can be invaluable in helping to develop an effective prevention plan depending on the specifics of the problem(s) being experienced.

Who should undertake Gull Management?

It is important to note that many gull management activities do not necessarily have to be carried out by specialists.  One of the keys to success is concerted and frequent effort, particularly early in the gull breeding season.  Therefore it may be possible for the people normally present at the location to carry out tasks (for instance ensuring nesting materials are removed, keeping areas tidy and free of food or other attractants). Where problems are being experienced across a wide-area and number of properties or premises we strongly advise that a collaborative and strategic plan is developed between all parties and with professional input.

What is a risk to public health or safety and what is a nuisance?

Dive bombing
Under most circumstances we would expect an employer or property owner to provide PPE (headwear or umbrella) or take necessary precautions to limit the frequency of dive bombing (provide an alternative access route), as an alternative solution to a licence. We would only consider this behaviour as a risk to public health or safety when the recipient of the dive bombing is a vulnerable person or group of persons, for example someone who is unable to defend themselves due to working at height, or due to certain forms of disability.

Aggression resulting in direct strike
In most circumstances we will consider this behaviour to be a risk to public health or safety. However, clear justification detailing why suitable alternative precautions to limit direct strikes have not been taken. For example, gulls are dive bombing staff and visitors entering a building, the employer or property owner has not provided any suitable PPE (e.g. protective headwear, or umbrella), resulting in injury as a result of direct strikes

Noise disturbance
We will only consider this to be a risk to public health or safety under exceptional circumstances and will require clear well evidence reasoning why there is no other suitable alternative to licencing.

Droppings contaminating foodstuffs
This qualifies as a risk to public health or safety where the gull droppings are directly falling into or on food processing or preparation areas, or accumulating in high quantities in dining areas. However, applicants will be required to justify why the gulls have been allowed to access areas such as these in the first place.
Small quantities on open air picnic benches will be considered a nuisance which can be remedied by maintaining good site and personal hygiene.

Build-up of nesting material in gas flues, air-conditioning units, active chimney pots or drainage systems
All old nests and nesting material are to be removed after each breeding season. This is only considered a risk to public health or safety where nest are built directly on or adjacent to gas flues, air-conditioning units, active chimneys or drainage systems and where the build-up of nesting material in drainage/ ventilation systems is new (i.e. built in the current breeding season).

Disturbance or aggression on sites where people are working at height or with machinery
This will only be considered a risk to public health or safety when combined with other factors such as emergency repairs to roofing or lineman for power companies, provided that all appropriate PPE and H&S protocols are being followed, or for the operation of machinery at a waste disposal site where large congregation of gull directly in front of the driver may obstruct their view and so risks causing an accident. It is unlikely that gulls would present a health and safety risk to operators of machinery where gull numbers are small/minimal (e.g. forklift drivers in a warehouse or garden centre).

Lethal Control
Applications for the lethal control of chicks and adults will only be considered as a last resort. It must be clear that all suitable alternatives have been tried or legitimately ruled out, or that there are significant welfare concerns for the bird.
Here are some examples of what would and would not qualify:

Would qualify:

  • An adult or chick has been found in a location where it poses a risk to public health or safety and cannot be removed without significantly harming the bird.
  • A nest containing newly hatched chicks is at severe and likely risk of starting a fire, however in this case a licence for relocation within close vicinity of the nest site would be preferable to lethal control.

Would NOT qualify:

  • A licence to kill chicks without any prior efforts being made to prevent nest building or hatching of the eggs.
  • While carrying out the licenced removal of nest and eggs, a nest with chicks is discovered and appears to have been missed during previous visits.
  • A licence is issued for nest and egg removal, but chicks are discovered upon carrying out the first site visit.

Key Principles

  • Know which species of gull you are dealing with
  • There are a variety of means by which problems can be minimised or avoided.  If you have a problem you should try as many deterrents as possible in the hierarchical order described above.
  • Prevention is better than cure
  • Early intervention is extremely important (pre-nesting and early in the breeding season debris clearing and scaring)
  • Efforts need to be concerted and regular
  • Consider both short and long-term solutions
  • Licensed activities should be a last resort.

Options for managing gull problems: The following list gives options, as well as recommended dates and frequency, for carrying out activities to reduce or avoid problems caused by gulls.

Action

 

Details

Who can do it?

Suggested timing

Suggested frequency

Physically prevent nesting 

 

Physically excluding birds from potential problem nesting sites is often the best way of preventing or minimising problems caused by gulls. Whilst this can be expensive in the short-term, in the long-term this may be far more cost-effective and successful than yearon-year management.  There are a wide variety of products available to prevent birds from nesting, including netting or wiring to prevent use of potential nest sites, antinesting spikes to ‘proofing’ key areas such as chimney pots or guttering/roof valleys.  All exclusion measures do need to be appropriately maintained to ensure that they remain effective and do not cause welfare problems (e.g. entanglement).  This is a list of equipment that can be used to exclude and scare birds.

Advice from a reputable and experienced pest control company is likely to be helpful, especially for larger projects.   

Any time outside of breeding season (September to March).

 

Once, but maintenance may be required.

Remove old nests and potential nesting materials 

Clearing of nesting material from areas where gulls have previously nested and caused problems in the past is very important in terms of good roof maintenance and management to prevent problems such a blocked drain pipes and gutters and could possibly reduce the attractiveness of a site for birds to nest in future.       

Anyone, unless specific access or health and safety considerations.

Prior to birds arrival/

commencement of breeding season.

March

Once

Regular removal of attractants such as

litter and food waste

The presence of food, unprotected bins and food waste can exacerbate problems caused by gulls, particularly where they are causing mess or other problems at ground level.  By ensuring that bins are secure and emptied regularly and that litter and food waste is minimised any problems should also be minimised.  Whilst undertaking these measures at an individual site level is recommended, it may be far more effective as part of a coordinated plan over a much larger area. 

Anyone

At all times, particularly prior to and during breeding season.

Preferably daily and at least weekly.

Human disturbance 

 

The presence of people on site is a great deterrent to nesting.  However it is critical that these are employed from the very start of the nesting season.  By putting in effort at the start of the season, and particularly when problems first arise, gulls may choose to attempt to nest elsewhere. 

Anyone, unless specific access or health and safety considerations.

Throughout breeding season, with particular emphasis immediately prior to the start of the nesting season.

Preferably multiple times daily.

Static/ automated scaring devices 

 

There are a wide range of commercially available ‘scaring’ devices to help discourage birds from using or nesting at a site.  These can range from static audio devices emitting noises from sirens or distress calls of the same species of bird to visual deterrents to the use of pyrotechnics, lasers, starter-pistols firing blank cartridges.  These can be effective but as with many measures they need to be part of a more integrated effort involving multiple approaches and should be varied regularly for maximum effect.  

Anyone, although advice from an experienced and reputable pest control company is likely to be helpful.

Throughout breeding season, with particular emphasis immediately prior to the start of the nesting season.

Constant but change device very regularly (every two weeks).

Hawking by birds of prey

The flying of captive-bred birds of prey by a falconer may sometimes be useful to help dissuade birds from nesting.  This should be used most intensively at the start of the breeding season.  

An experienced falconer.

Throughout breeding season, with particular emphasis immediately prior to the start of the nesting season.

As often as possible.

Disturbance by dogs

Use of dogs to patrol potential nesting areas at ground level can be an effective means of ensuring that birds do not settle at the start of the breeding season.

Anyone, unless specific access or health and safety considerations.

Throughout breeding season, with particular emphasis immediately prior to the start of the nesting season.

As often as possible

Nest removal

(licence required)

 

As soon as birds start to settle and scrape out a depression in the ground or to bring in, move or arrange nesting materials you can consider that they are nesting and therefore that destruction or removal of that structure could only be carried out under licence.  By doing so, and continuing to do so as frequently and intensively as possible, particularly at the start of the breeding season, it may be possible to minimise problems caused by gulls.  By keeping on top of this it may be possible to avoid the need for the removal of eggs in future and it may possibly help persuade the birds to move elsewhere. 

Anyone, unless specific access or health and safety considerations.

Throughout breeding season, with particular emphasis immediately prior to and at start of nesting season 

To be most effective this activity should be carried out once per

week.  If this frequency is not possible, at minimum this activity must be carried out fortnightly.

Egg removal

(licence required)

Regular removal of nests as they are built should reduce the need to remove and destroy eggs. However this may still be necessary in some cases.  Once eggs are removed (along with the nests) birds will likely attempt to re-lay and can do this multiple times.  Therefore, as with removal of nests, effort should be targeted as early as possible and very frequently in order to ensure any eggs missed or additional eggs laid do not hatch.  This can ultimately reduce the size of the breeding population at a particular site.  If egg removal is carried out very regularly at the start of the season, it can be successful in resulting in the colony being abandoned. 

Anyone, unless specific access or health and safety considerations.

Throughout breeding season, with particular emphasis immediately prior to and at start of nesting season

To be most effective this activity should be carried out once per

week.  If this frequency is not possible, at minimum this activity must be carried out fortnightly.

Egg pricking/egg oiling/dummy eggs

(licence required)

Egg pricking or oiling (with paraffin oil), or replacement of the eggs with dummy eggs (that can be purchased commercially) can make them unviable and minimise the need to repeatedly remove eggs because the birds will generally continue to incubate them rather than relay.   However, if these activities are carried out before a full clutch of eggs has been laid, the gulls could lay more eggs to complete their clutch.  Therefore, as with nest and egg removal, effort for egg pricking, egg oiling and the use of dummy eggs should be targeted as early as possible in the breeding season and must be carried out, at minimum, fortnightly throughout the season.  This ensures any eggs missed or additional eggs laid do not hatch.

Anyone, although advice from an experienced and reputable pest controller is advised. 

Throughout breeding season, with particular emphasis immediately prior to and at start of nesting season

To be most effective these activities should be carried out once per week.  If this frequency is not possible, at minimum these activities must be carried out fortnightly.

Taking of eggs or chicks to a wildlife rehabilitation centre

(licence required)

With regards to taking chicks - the removal of nests or eggs, the pricking or oiling of eggs or the use of dummy eggs should mean that this circumstance does not arise. We would expect to only licence this in exceptional circumstances where it has not been possible to remove nests and eggs and where there is a clear and imminent risk to public health or safety.

You must ensure the wildlife rehabilitation centre has capacity for the eggs or chicks before removal. The eggs or chicks must be safely taken and transported, taking into account welfare considerations.

Anyone, although advice from an experienced and reputable pest controller is advised. 

If and when the need arises

As necessary

Killing of adults or chicks

(licence required)

This should be an absolute last resort.  Removal of nests or eggs, the pricking or oiling of eggs or the use of dummy eggs should mean that this circumstance does not arise.  We would expect to only licence this in exceptional circumstances where it has not been possible to remove nests and eggs and where there is a clear and imminent risk to public health or safety. 

Recommend that this should be carried out by an experienced and reputable pest controller.

If and when the need arises

As necessary

 

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Pages: 5
Published: 2020