Residential Seagull Control

Family: Laridae - Herring Gulls - Lesser Black Backed Gull - Greater black Backed Gull

Seagulls are quite large birds and can measure up to about 68cm from beak to tail. Their wingspan can be around 85cm. There are many species of gull, many of which are not considered to be pests. It is generally accepted that there are three main species of gulls that cause the vast majority of problems and as such considered pests in the UK, namely the Herring Gull (common gray seagull), Lesser Black-backed Gull and less commonly the Greater Black-backed Gull which are very large birds

Seagulls have become well adapted over time and often act as scavengers, the problems they cause are not limited to coastal areas - you can often find problem gulls 70 miles or more inland scavenging our food or waste from landfill sites and in coastal areas they have become especially adept at swooping down stealing the food from our hands.

The first step in solving your gull problems usually consists of trying to understand why they are attracted to a particular area, you may be doing nothing wrong, however, if a local business is leaving food waste outside a nearby premises then this can usually act as a magnet for hungry seagulls looking for an easy meal.

Problems Caused

The noise of seagulls can be particularly loud especially during the breeding period which is quite long, running from March to August in a typical year and can also be particularly aggressive during this period swooping down on people near any nearby nest.

Disease

Gulls also carry many diseases which have the potential to infect humans via contact with their droppings. Diseases transmissible to humans included salmonella, E. coli, campylobacter, cryptosporidium and listeria.

Seagull nests are also a foundation for fleas, mites and a host of other insects enabling them to take full advantage of the waste. This causes problems with disease such as Pathogenic Bacteria which are subsequently transferred to our food via these insects, as well as presenting themselves as a nuisance to others.

Property Damage

Seagull faeces are extremely acidic and as well as defacing buildings, paintwork and vehicles with their droppings, if left untreated can cause irreparable damage to stonework and building facades. They frequently foul entrances and pavements, which can become dangerously slippery. Their nests can also be very large and cause blocking of gutters and flooding which if left untreated can cause failures in the integral structure of buildings & roofs.

Residential Seagull Control Methods

The most effective seagull control method is exclusion. This involves limiting access to areas they inhabit with netting, spikes where they roost and a mixture of other deterrents may also be applicable which may include falconry response, seagull scaring devices, electrical deterrents, gull gel or in extreme cases nest/egg removal.