Streets: Why sexed-up bigger nuisance than ever

to Cardiff, and more than 5,000 forecast by 2020, seagull numbers are on the rise.

Peter Rock reckons Cardiff could in fact have the biggest population of gulls in Britain by 2019.

“Cardiff is a pretty good candidate for the first 5,000 pair colony,” he said.

“Over the next 10 years, if growth rates are maintained, it’s odds-on Cardiff will have 5,000.”

How can pest control companies deal with them? Pest control firm NBC Environment can use things such as nets, barriers and hi-tech laser systems to deter the birds. Last year the company also flew a Harris Hawk at St David’s shopping centre in the capital three times a week in areas where gulls congregated.

Surveyor Darren Barren said: “You have things like netting systems, but that’s very expensive, and for people who have a real problem we have a laser system. My team’s preferred option is to use birds of prey – it lets nature tackle nature.”

But Darren said the best defence was people being aware of their actions.

“People need to be aware of the risks of encouraging gull populations,” he added. “I have genuinely seen people feed them in the streets. They won’t move on until there is a reason for them to move on, and feeding them makes it more welcoming for them.”

What does the council say? Cardiff council says the biggest piece of advice it can give is to make sure residents are putting their waste out at the right time in the right container.

A council spokesman said: “Our advice is the same as it always is – make sure you put waste out in the correct container at the right time.

“The council has a waste strategy in place to ensure, where possible, waste is contained in wheeled bins.

“We ask everyone to put the correct waste in the containers provided.

“So all food waste should be put in to the food caddies, we ask residents to rinse out their recyclable items before they are put them into the green bags and any remaining waste should be disposed of in the red stripped bags or black wheeled bin.”

It also recommends washing out containers that have had food in them.

The council can offer commercial customers techniques like putting porcelain eggs in nests so gulls have fewer chicks to protect and thus in theory act less aggressively, but with chicks being born by this time of year the diversion tactics aren’t much use right now.

The spokesman added: “Some of it is common sense – don’t leave food if you’re eating outside. Some people walk with an umbrella – but it’s a personal choice.”

What does the Welsh Government say? Seagulls are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making it an offence to kill or injure any birds, nests or eggs unless you have a licence.

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: “This is largely a matter for local authorities.

“We provide significant funding for local authorities to set up separate weekly food waste collections, which reduces the availability of food waste for gulls and provide residents with advice about not feeding gulls.

“Wild birds and their eggs are protected by law and local authorities, or their pest control contractors, are able to apply to Natural Resources Wales for a licence for the removal or destruction of certain gulls, nests and eggs on grounds of public health and safety.”

What do charities say? According to the RSPB, gulls “pose a real risk to health”.

nesting public

The charity says the most effective way of tackling the gull problem is to reduce the availability of food and reducing the attractiveness of nest sites.

They say it’s up to local councils to ensure landfills sites are well-managed and streets are kept clean.

And according to the RSPB, residents with wheelie-bins, as opposed to bin-bags, are much less likely to have a problem.

When it comes to nests, the charity says it is better to deter the gulls than destroy the birds or their nests once they have started breeding,

They suggest making a wire system and fitting it onto areas the birds use, stopping them from landing and folding their wings.