Seagull Season Starts in Central Bristol – Protect the Pasties

When Bristol City Council named cutting back on gull control methods as part of city-wide cut backs, it seemed like a joke to many.

But those who live in the inner city know the nightmare of nesting gulls all too well.

March is the start of bird nesting season, with the raucous cry of seagulls already ringing loudly around the dark heart of Bristol.

The UK gull population is increasing quickly, with rooftop nesting having quadrupled. But gulls themselves cannot be culled, for despite the nuisance they cause, they are still protected by law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981.

A colony of gulls will remain at the same nesting spot for six months of the year. With it they bring aggressive behaviour and are famed for stealing food from the hands of small children and attacking the distracted.

Those who live in blocks of flats will also hate the din they cause throughout the day, which increases to intolerable levels when industrial fireworks are set off at 3am or police raids take place at midnight.

Managing Director of NBC Environment, John Dickson says: “It would be entirely wrong to characterise gulls merely as pests. Rather, the problem lies in where they are choosing to nest. This impacts both the public and private sectors. Over and above the damage to property, organisations could potentially take the brunt of any litigation from anyone who suffers ill-health or injury on account of gulls, for example as a result of aggressive behaviour, or a slip on faeces.”

“This doesn’t warrant a cull though. We need to remember that many species, including herring gulls, are in decline across Europe and we are bound by EU and international laws to protect them. Gull populations are on the rebound in the UK thanks to this forward-looking wildlife legislation and it makes no sense to reverse good conservation work. The fact MPs are now calling for an annual ‘seagull (sic) summit’ and a national study is very positive because it suggests they are looking for long term solutions instead of simply reacting to sensationalised stories.”

Mark off May and June in the calendar, because that’s when the eggs hatch and gull’s tempers become frayed.

It is still illegal to harm a wild bird to tamper with its nest, so absolutely never throw a punch at a gull while it’s fighting you for your Gregg’s Steak Bake.