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Londoners warned to steer clear of angry seagulls as numbers double
Mark Prigg, Science and Technology Editor17 Aug 2010
Londoners were today given an unprecedented warning against “divebombing” by seagulls.
After a spate of attacks across Britain, the RSPB today said the birds had become a new urban menace and told Londoners not to approach them or throw food out for them.
Experts say that a “perfect storm” of the breeding season combined with the first chicks hatching has led to an explosion in the birds across London.
The RSPB says that numbers of herring gulls have doubled in the capital since the Eighties, with about 20,000 pairs now nesting here.
Black-headed gulls, common gulls and black-backed gulls are also common. The birds are attracted in increasing numbers by the rubbish on the streets and in landfill sites.
Pregnant pop star Lily Allen has turned to Twitter to complain about the birds' distinctive calls, telling her followers: “Seagulls in W1. I've never heard them here before tonight. Must be a shift in the weather or summat.”
The RSPB says that the birds have been unusually noisy this year. “City gull numbers have not massively increased, but the noise they make has,” said spokesman Tim Webb. “It's made more Londoners aware of them.
“More and more birds are living here, because the fishing boats they normally follow just don't exist any more — instead they are nesting on London roofs.”
The RSPB today warned Londoners not to approach the birds, which have been known to attack people. They also warned that if the gull population continues to increase, councils may have to come up with measures such as designing “gullproof” rubbish bins.
“I'd urge Londoners to be as tolerant as possible,” said Mr Webb. “Gulls are often perceived as intimidating, but if they are aggressive it's because they're either protecting their young or feel threatened by us. They are very protective parents, but they'd much rather poo on people than peck them,” he said. “However, they will divebomb people if provoked.”
In Sussex, 29-year-old student Amy Derham was left with a deep head cut after she tried to walk round a baby bird lying on a pavement. It is thought the adult bird struck to protect the fledgling, although Ms Derham had crossed on to the other side of the road in Hove.
She said: “I saw a baby seagull sitting down on the pavement making a high-pitched squeak. I thought to myself I am not going anywhere near that' so I crossed the road. The next thing I know I was hit on the head by what looked like an adult seagull swooping down — it was extremely painful and happened all of a sudden.”
Reader views (9)
Think L&C either misread my comment or strangely copied it? Confused. I would have said 'Labour' but it's the Tories in current Control innit?
As long as we're all looking for that DANGER under our bins or on our roofs *anywhere* except the very real and present threat of frankly ANY of the 3 major parties.
- Real, Camden, 18/08/2010 00:44
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As these Islands are eroding at the rate of 40 Metres a year , we should see more and more Seagulls , perhaps some rich person would build a Lighthouse in Trafalgar Square ready for the big day.
- Davey_buoy, Chertsey, 17/08/2010 21:40
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They're probably dying of hunger as all the fish is being fished out of the sea for the world's exploding population.
- Judith C, London, England, 17/08/2010 20:49
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There is a very good product called gullstop. It prevents seagulls settling and nesting. Seagulls return to the same place year after year to lay their eggs making the problem worse. I have used it twice in marine environments and the effects are instant and cause no harm to the animal. They just go elsewhere. Costs around £200.
- jimbob, kensington, 17/08/2010 18:23
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. . . . . it's appalling, won't anyone please think of the children?
- Liberal And Cowed, Camden, 17/08/2010 14:43
You´re right, L & C, Camden. Machine gun them all, that´s what I say. No, not the seagulls, the children!
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Holland, 17/08/2010 15:43
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Foxes, squirrels, seagulls, dangerous dogs.... It's awful, Labour would have spent thousands sorting this out by now but those Tories don't seem to want to spend money on these sorts of things. Instead concentrating on frivolous things like stabilising the economy and reducing public spending, it's appalling, won't anyone please think of the children?
- Liberal And Cowed, Camden, 17/08/2010 14:43
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they have probably been attracted here by the increasing amount of waste and garbage that now permeates this once great city of my birth.......
- Andy Woodhead, London, ENGLAND, 17/08/2010 14:02
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Foxes, squirrels, seagulls, dangerous dogs.... blah blah blah...
Lets all live in state of fear whist the Tories destroy our country more than it already is. So long as no one notices that massive threat and concentrates on BIRDS eh?
- Real, Camden, 17/08/2010 13:58
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Great! I always wanted to know whether the Alka-Seltzer theory works. Point me at the diving nuisances!
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK, 17/08/2010 13:49
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