Liskeard Gulls Website Page

Liskeard Town Council commissioned a report from an urban gull expert – you can read it here.

Roof Nesting Gulls in Liskeard Report April 2018

 

The following information is provided as support and advice for residents of Liskeard in relation to urban gulls, which maybe causing a nuisance.

Liskeard Town Council and Gulls

As a town council, we have no statutory responsibility to manage urban gulls.

The Law

Urban gulls are protected by law, and any action you undertake to manage a gull problem should be done with guidance and appropriate legal advice.
This page is provided for advice only, and Liskeard Town Council cannot be held legally responsible for any action or injury caused by following the guidance on this page.

Gull Advice

The following advice on managing gulls is available from Cornwall Council Gull page – https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/environmental-protection/environmental-protection-pests/gulls/

1. De-nesting

At the end of every nesting season (usually September) remove all nests and nesting material from your building.

2. Deterrent

Just removing nests will not solve the problem on its own. The birds will build another nest the following spring. The herring gulls must be discouraged from coming back. This can be done by fitting plastic or metal spikes in the nesting and roosting areas of the roof. Wires or netting can also be effective, but may be unsightly if used on prominent parts of the roof. It is important to make sure that all possible nesting and roosting sites on the roof are protected, especially behind chimney stacks.

3. Who should do the work?

There are a number of companies available to carry out proofing. You can find them on the internet, in the local papers, Yellow Pages or Thomson Local. A licensed contractor to remove a nest can also be found this way.

4. When should it be done?

The best time to de-nest and proof buildings is at the end of the nesting season, usually around September time. If you engage a company to do the job they will advise you further on your particular situation.

5. Who pays?

The responsibility for resolving any problem is yours if you are the owner or occupier of an affected building. Therefore, the cost of any works to resolve the problem will have to be met by the owner or occupier.

6. What about other gulls?

Herring gulls are the most common type of gull to cause problems to buildings and people.

If you believe that the gulls nesting on your property are not herring gulls you can still take the action outlined above to deter them from using your building.
Be careful it is illegal to interfere with the nests of most other types of sea birds as they are protected by law.

The work you do will be most effective if you take advice from professional persons or companies – DEFRA, Natural England or most pest control companies.

More importantly, the steps you take may be more effective if you join forces with your neighbours, and it may keep the cost down. Don’t forget gulls are not only attracted by good nesting sites they need food also!

So:
• Don’t feed the gulls
• Don’t leave lids off bins etc
• Don’t put refuse sacks out too early
• Do cover them to prevent attack by gulls or other pests.
• Don’t drop litter