What Can You Do To Get Rid of Gulls?

In the UK there are three main species of gulls which present numerous problems to humans, particularly during the breeding season. These are the Herring Gull, the Lesser Black-backed Gull and the Great Black-backed Gull.

Gull populations have been steadily increasing in our towns and cities over the last 15-20 years. With more and more gull nests present in areas where people live or work, sites or equipment that need to be checked by maintenance staff that are obstructed, either partially or completely, leading to a range of health and safety problems.

The main species of gull, the Herring Gull, has a clearly defined breeding season and new colonies form in a consistent and sustained manner. Increases can be slow to occur initially but then it is not unusual for a colony to double in size each year if there are enough nesting sites available. This means that if not controlled properly, Gull colonies will remain and increase in an area for numerous years.

So How Do We Get Rid of Gulls?

Gulls are protected under the 'Wildlife and Countryside Act' meaning that we cannot interfere with the adult birds or the young.

Therefore, the most effective way of addressing this type of seasonal issue is by preventing or reducing the amount of breeding which takes place.

Removing gulls yourself is incredibly difficult due to the aggressive nature of gulls and the potential difficulty in reaching the areas were gull nests are located. You may also face prosecution if you accidentally remove the nest of a different species.

Therefore, we would recommend using an experienced specialist that can use carefully planned methods around the gull breeding season to be executed at the ideal time of year.

One of our services is the installation of proofing measures which we believe is the most effective and practical way of reducing the amount of Gull breeding. Unfortunately, however, many locations are not suitable for the installation of proofing measures. Proofing also has the disadvantage of displacing the problem onto neighbouring sites.

In this case, we also offer a population reduction programme which uses measures designed to prevent successful breeding from occurring. To find out more about Gull control, get in touch online or call us on 0800 731 7462 as soon as possible to arrange a free site survey or visit our website to see the range of other services we provide.