Seagulls

Find information and advice on seagulls and the nuisance they may cause here.

For bird control services you can contact our pest control contractor AGS One.

Seagull nuisance

Issues

Many people who have gulls on or around their property find them annoying.

Common problems include:

  • noise caused by calling gulls and by their heavy foot falls
  • mess from droppings falling on washing, gardens and people
  • damage to property from gulls picking at roofing materials or nesting in gutters

More serious problems include:

  • gulls diving and swooping on people and pets to protect their chicks and nests
  • blocked gas flues caused by nesting materials

Control

We do not offer any seagull control services – you should contact a specialised professional instead. They will be able to provide advice or install bird control devices if necessary.

You can contact our pest control contractor AGS One for their bird control services.

The most common methods for deterring seagulls from nesting on your property are:

  • fitting spikes to nesting locations like chimney stacks and dormer roofs
  • using wires and nets to prevent the gulls from landing

Feeding

You should not feed seagulls. Feeding gulls encourages their scavenging behaviour and coming into gardens. This can be frustrating for your neighbours.

If you have an issue with a neighbour feeding seagulls regularly, you should always try speaking to them first. They may not be aware of the issue they are causing.

We’ll only get involved with seagull feeding issues if the problem is excessive and ongoing and is creating a serious public health risk.

The law

All species of gull are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

It is illegal to capture, injure or destroy any wild bird or interfere with its nest or eggs. The penalties for ignoring the law can be severe.

Natural England can issue licenses for lethal controls, but these are only given in exceptional circumstances to protect public health and safety.

Noise disturbance, opening rubbish sacks and leaving droppings are not valid reasons to destroy the birds, their nests or eggs.