Feathers fly as gulls flee the seaside for towns and cities

Ministers examine how to curb urban nesting after disruption by screeching and swooping birds

GULLS are usually associated with seaside cliffs and beaches.

But analysis of data has revealed that they have become urban creatures, prompting ministers to consider proposals on how to make removing them from towns easier.

A Natural England report suggests that an estimated three quarters of the UK’s population of herring gulls nest in towns and cities.

The trend “highlights the potential for growing conflicts with human interests”, the report warns, amid concern that affected cities are facing an explosion in numbers as birds begin to nest and breed in the spring.

The Government banned lethal control of gulls, including removing eggs, over conservation concerns two years ago but is now discussing changes to the rules that would make it easier for councils to limit their populations.

Richard Benyon, a minister in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said he was pushing for a review of the figures because there was evidence that numbers have increased.

The herring gull is considered “vulnerable” in the EU and UK by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and has a “red” conservation status in the UK. Conservation groups say

Colonies of noisy gulls have nested on roofs, causing psychological distress and disturbed sleep for residents of several cities herring gull numbers have fallen dramatically since the 1970s so they are in need of protection.

The birds are nesting on roofs in increasing numbers, causing psychological distress from disturbed sleep for residents in cities such as Bath, Worcester and Gloucester who also endure being attacked by the birds.

A pilot scheme last year in Bath and Worcester that allowed limited removal of nests, eggs and chicks left officials frustrated as they had to ask for permission before taking action outside very specific areas. Worcester council said the system was “not fit for purpose, and wasteful of public funds”.

Tim Ball, a councillor for Bath and North East Somerset, said: “Only in extreme circumstances can you remove eggs. We’ve had gulls in Bath swooping on children. There are certain parts of Bath where you don’t want to live, because they are constantly screeching in the early hours of the morning.”

Dave Slater, Natural England’s director for wildlife licensing and enforcement, said in a blog post that councils would no longer need to ask permission if there were “specific public health and safety risks concerning sleep deprivation and attacks from aggressive gulls on vulnerable individuals”.

The trial is being rolled out more widely this year but Richard Cook, leader of Gloucester city council, said it was not planning to take part because of the paperwork involved.

“It’s too extensive in terms of resource to make it viable for councils to spend that kind of effort dealing with one gull, when you’ve got between 4,000 and 8,000 in the city,” he said.

‘There are parts of Bath where you don’t want to live because they are constantly screeching in the early hours of the morning’