Randy seagulls’ mating calls waking up previous of us as birds dive-bomb schoolkids
Care home residents say the bad birds stir them from their slumber at dawn during breeding season with a range of screams, wails and laughing noises
(Image: SWNS)
Randy seagulls are waking up old folk with their loud mating calls. Care home residents have complained about being woken by a dawn chorus of love chat during breeding season.
The boisterous birds also dive-bomb locals – including kids – in the street and snatch food from folks’ hands. Aggressive gulls have become such a problem in Inverness, Scotland, primary schools are stopping children eating outdoors.
Secondary school students have reported being swooped on outside takeaways.
The issues are highlighted in a council report aimed at finding ways to reduce bad bird behaviour which officials say has recently worsened.
Last month gulls launched 16 ‘co-ordinated attacks’ on children taking part in a week-long Easter egg hunt.
Organisers said marauding birds were seen repeatedly swooping at – and hitting – members of the public at the hunt in the city centre.
Pressure on their natural marine and coastal habitats – including dwindling fish stocks, climate change and development – have encouraged the birds to venture into cities, experts say.
There, they can find safe nesting sites on high roofs and abundant food from discarded litter. In the report, council officials said there are more than 700 gull nests across Inverness.
Councillors have been asked to approve a new management plan to reduce the birds’ anti-social behaviour.
Proposals include an awareness campaign to discourage people from feeding gulls and redesigned public bins to make it harder for the birds to scavenge food.
Other ideas include using kites, flags and audio scarers to stop gulls nesting on rooftops.
The report said: “Urban gull activity in Inverness has increasingly given rise to public concern, particularly in relation to noise disturbance, aggressive behaviour, food scavenging, fouling and nesting on buildings.
“Reports of these impacts are most noticeable during the breeding season and affect residential areas, schools, care settings and the city centre, with implications for public health, safety and amenity.”
Environmental body NatureScot has suggested removing nesting material before the breeding season and installing nets, spikes and wires to keep birds off roofs.
It has given the council £20,000 to support the development of its management plans.
But RSPB Scotland called for mercy.
It said: “Gulls can be polarising, but many people aren’t aware that in Scotland, a number of our gull species are in serious trouble.
“Across their UK range they face threats from development, persecution, non-native predators and climate change.
“Gulls are remarkable birds and masters of adaptability. They are the soundtrack to our summers and play an important role in our ecosystems.
“As they face significant declines, we need to speak up for them.”
Experts say gulls use a range of calls for a host of different reasons in mating season.
They emit loud screams to announce their ownership of nesting spots, once eggs hatch they wail and dive-bomb to ward off intruders and communicate with their chicks with constant calling.
When they get excited they produce a noise that sounds like laughter.
