Are we all “gull-ty” over bird blight?

The decision by Dundee City Council to use extreme measures in the battle against gulls is bound to prove controversial. The increasing prevalence of the birds has led to calls for action, especially from those who have found themselves under attack on the city’s streets.

Some will be glad of the cull but animal rights activists and bird lovers will be distressed by the move.

Certainly, gulls seem to have become bolder and more aggressive in recent years, with some experts suggesting they now see humans more as a viable food source than a threat.

Factors such as the decline in the fishing industry – previously providing a bounty of food – and increasing use of urban recycling sites rather than landfill have been blamed for the rise in numbers.

The average person in the street cannot influence this, but equally responsible are littering and an abundance of food waste, for which we are all responsible.

What is clear is that it is becoming increasingly difficult for gulls and humans to co-habit peacefully in cities and action such as that taken by Dundee City Council will become more commonplace.

Those who complain about the destruction of gulls and their eggs should first question whether they have done all they can to dissuade the birds from encroaching on “human” areas.