Short Spikes

Long Spikes

Wiring and Netting

Natural History

Herring Gulls and the Law

A WORD OF WARNING!!!!!!!!!

The Problem

Many people who have gulls on their property find they cause a nuisance. Commonly cited problems include:

• Noise, caused by calling gulls and by their heavy footsteps
• Mess caused by their droppings, fouling of washing, gardens and people.
• Damage to property, caused by gulls picking at roofing materials and by nests which block gutters or hold moisture against the building structure.
  

Sometimes more serious problems occur:-

• Birds can dive and swoop on people and pets. This usually occurs when chicks have fallen from the nest and adult birds attempt to prevent them coming to harm by frightening away potential threats.
• Blockage of gas flues by nesting materials can have serious consequences if gas fumes are prevented from venting properly.

As roof nesting herring gull numbers have increased, the council has come under pressure to do something about it. The problem is relatively new for householders and business proprietors alike, gulls have not nested on their property in the numbers seen today and some find the nuisance, especially from noise, unbearable.
Methods of controlling the rise in the numbers of nesting seagulls and thus the nuisance they cause can be done in only 2 ways, i.e. either culling or providing adequate deterrents to prevent the birds nesting. The latter method of course presents the risk of simply moving the problems elsewhere. The department will provide a service to owners or occupiers who require advice or assistance in respect of problems caused by roof nesting gulls, but will not carry out culling of adult birds. 

The principal methods of deterrence are:-

• Fitting of long spikes to nesting locations such as chimney stacks
• Fitting of short spikes, contained in a special plastic base, to nesting locations such as dormer roofs.
• Fitting of wires or nets to prevent herring gulls landing.
• Disturbance of nesting sites including removal of nests and eggs.

The basic methods of use are:

1 Chimney Top Fixing

The surface to be treated, usually the cement flaunching between the chimney pots should be brushed clean with a wire brush. The spikes are then bent into the required shape and placed in position on a dab of mortar. A further dab of mortar is then used to secure the spike assembly. We recommended the use of PVA (or similar sealant) compound to assist adhesion of the mortar to the chimney stack. Care must be taken when working around a gas terminal to ensure adequate ventilation is maintained. 
                            
2 Chimney Back Fixing

Herring gulls sometimes nest behind chimney stacks where the chimney meets a sloping roof. The valley formed is often warm and sheltered from the wind and makes an ideal nest site.

It is difficult to place spikes at the base of the valley formed because the fixing can interfere with the structure of the roof.

It is possible to suspend the spikes from the chimney stack using the longer centre rod which is provided as standard. The usual fixing method is screw the spike on using masonry plugs and screw with a stout washer to trap the spike against the masonry.

Short Spikes

There are several spikes commercially available which incorporate a stainless steel spike fitted in a plastic base. The spikes and base come as an assembled unit in convenient lengths which can be cut to size.
These spike systems may be useful for protecting small dormer roofs and other similar locations. The usual fixing method is to use screws or, where these would damage the structure, proprietary adhesives.

Fig 3. 
Short Spikes in a flexible base. Extended strip length about 765mm

Fig 4. 
Short spikes on a double width base shown in situ. This type of strip is about 33mm long

Long Spikes

It is up to owners to arrange to have the spikes fitted, which is a job generally best left to a competent builder or roofing contractor. It is important to fix sufficient spikes to ensure that the nesting area is well covered. We encourage property owners who wish to use this method to obtain plenty of spikes. 

Wiring and Netting

These methods may have a use in certain locations. If you have a problem with birds nesting on large flat roofs you may wish to contact one of the specialist companies for advice on a quotation. Because of the problems of fixing and the danger of trapping birds in or under nets these methods should always be done by, or after having taken advice from, a competent specialist

Natural History

The majority of people who have gulls nesting on their property don't refer to them as herring gulls but as "seagulls" because most of us do not stop to differentiate between one type and another. But most species of gull do not nest on buildings and, in our area only the herring gulls does so commonly.

Herring gulls are large birds. They are, in fact, about 55cm (22") from bill to tail with a wingspan of about 85cm (34"). They have a yellow bill with red spot on the lower mandible. The head is white in summer and flecked with grey in the winter. The back and upper wing is pale grey and the legs pink in colour.

Breeding pairs court in April and commence nest building from early May onwards. In towns, the nest is constructed from straw and grass, twigs, paper and any other material the gull can conveniently use. The nest can be quite large and, if made of material accumulated over several years, very heavy.

Eggs are laid from early May onwards with two or three being the usual number. The eggs take about three weeks to hatch so the first chicks are generally seen about the beginning of June.

The chicks grow quite quickly and are quite active and often fall from the nest. In towns this almost certainly means they cannot return to the nest. Small chicks will die unless returned but larger chicks will be protected and fed by their parents on the ground. Parent birds protecting fallen chicks are often the ones which dive and swoop on people and animals who often do not realise a chick is down on the ground. Where fallen chicks are reported to the council, we will arrange for it to be collected, thus removing the nuisance caused by the adult bird.

Chicks generally fledge in August and then take three or four years to reach maturity and breed.

The life expectancy of a herring gull which reaches maturity is about 20 years.

Herring gulls tend to nest in colonies and once roof nesting birds gain a foothold other herring gulls nest on adjacent buildings. If left unchecked, a colony starts to develop.

Herring Gulls and the Law

The principal legislation dealing with the control of birds is the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The purpose of this section is to provide advice on the law as it stands at Spring 1997 but it is a guide only and is not meant to be authoritative.
Generally it is illegal to capture, injure or destroy any wild bird or interfere with its nest or eggs. The penalties for disregarding the law can be severe.

General Licences issued by the Department of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food allow measures to be taken against certain common species of birds on grounds which include the preservation of public health or public safety. Any action taken must be humane, the use of an inhumane method which could cause suffering is illegal. The use of poisons or drugs to take or kill any bird is specifically prohibited except under very special circumstances and with a specific licence issued by MAFF.

The list of birds against which humane methods may be used includes herring gulls.

Only the owner of a building or the occupier can take action against the herring gulls on it, or they can give someone else permission to act on their behalf.

In practice there are very few humane methods to kill birds which are likely only to affect a particular species and skill and experience is needed to deploy them. People attempting to kill herring gulls nesting on their property is discouraged.

A WORD OF WARNING!

Whilst the gulls which nest on buildings are usually herring gulls, there are several other gull species which occasionally nest on buildings, such as black backed and lesser black backed gulls.
If you have any doubts about what kind of "gull" is nesting on your property ask someone who knows. Our own staff are able to offer assistance if required.
Deterrence
All owners/occupiers of buildings which have, or may attract roof nesting herring gulls are strongly urged to provide the building with deterrent measures suitable to the individual building. This section tells you how to do so.

If as many owners/occupiers as possible apply deterrent measures to their buildings, it may be possible to reduce or break-up the colonies of birds.
Also, deterrence may well provide relief to individual occupiers
Disturbance 
This can be a useful additional way of deterring gulls from nesting. Where access to flat roofs is easily and safely obtained it is worth checking the roof from mid April onwards. Any nesting materials gathered by herring gulls can be cleared away regularly. It is worth rechecking the nesting site at fortnightly intervals until the middle of June to make sure that if birds return the site is again cleared.
If access to roofs is difficult you can ask a roofing contractor or builder to do this for you. 
Remember
If you require advice or assistance, officers will be pleased to help. The office address and telephone number for enquiries are given below.
If the proofing work required is of a difficult nature you may wish to consider contacting a member of the British Pest Control Association 
If you would like advice regarding roof nesting gulls please do not hesitate to contact;

Environmental Health & Trading Standards
P O Box 107
Civic Centre
Sunderland
SR2 7DN
Phone: 0191 553 1661/1662
Fax: 0191 553 1658
OR e.mail

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last updated 07/12/06