8 Best Reasons not to feed seagulls

Feeding seagulls can result in over-population, 8 Reasons not to feed seagulls.

Feeding seagulls can result in over-population and the birds becoming a nuisance as they quickly learn where there are ready sources of food.

Gulls in urban areas will start nesting on roofs and this will damage the buildings.

More birds mean more mess and the bird poo can attract vermin and spread disease.

1. HEALTH. Reasons not to feed seagulls

Gulls are “the new public health risk” (the BBC, 2004). The rise in the urban gull population is
increasing the risks of e-coli, salmonella and botulism. And “..gulls could soon be more of a pest in urban
Britain than rats” – a warning given at the 2003 National Conference on problems caused by urban gulls.

2. NUMBERS. Reasons not to feed seagulls

Gulls can live for 40 years, can breed for 25 years and they and their offspring will return to the same nesting site.

3. NOISE. Reasons not to feed seagulls

Noise is by far the greatest nuisance factor. Gulls’ raucous calls typically begin at 4 o’clock in the morning and are impossible to sleep through. When regularly fed, they also become tamed and will start to repeatedly call for food during the day too.

4. MESS. Reasons not to feed seagulls

Mess it was recognised that gulls can expel significant quantities of runny faeces on the wing, which makes it difficult for residents to enjoy their gardens. Their washing, windows, cars and property are also continually being
fouled. Fouling on roofs can also increase the rate of moss growth, which can be unsightly and block
drainage outlets.

5. DAMAGE. Reasons not to feed seagulls

Damage to property is the third biggest problem. Gulls will destroy insulation, air conditioning, will pull up exposed roofing felt and will even pull away lead flashing. Other damage includes blockages to rain water gutters, down pipes and even gas flues.

6. PROPERTY PRICE. Reasons not to feed seagulls

Gulls nesting near or on your property could affect the value and/or the saleability of
your home and the cost to gull-proof your property can be significant.

7. ATTACKS. Reasons not to feed seagulls

The Guardian reported in 2013 that “pensioners have been hospitalised, knocked to the
ground, breaking bones. Small dogs have bled to death, children’s lips been sliced open, and an
elderly man died of a heart attack following a particularly vicious assault in his back garden.” There
have been many other reported attacks on adults, children, pets and livestock. Urban gulls also attack and
will feed on garden birds; so when gulls move in, the small garden birds are driven out.

8. HARM TO GULLS THEMSELVES. Reasons not to feed seagulls

Both the RSPB and RSPCA warn that feeding gulls will not only lead to
attacks but feeding the birds an un-natural, high calorific, low nutritional diet is detrimental to their health as it
can lead to long-term health problems and incurable syndromes such as “Angel Wing”.

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