Gull Management in Inverness City Centre

Understanding Urban Gulls

Inverness City Centre like many urban areas faces challenges with increasing numbers of gulls. These birds have adapted to city life, using rooftops as nesting sites and scavenging for food from litter and waste. While they are a natural part of our environment, their presence can lead to issues such as noise, mess, and aggressive behaviour, particularly during breeding season.

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is illegal to capture, injure, or destroy any wild bird, or to disturb their nests or eggs. Local authorities, including Highland Council, have no legal duty to manage urban gulls. However, there are proactive steps that businesses, residents, and visitors can take to reduce problems associated with gulls in the city centre.

Common Issues with Gulls

Each year, complaints are received regarding:

• Nesting on buildings – Gulls often nest on flat roofs, chimney stacks, and ledges, leading to noise disturbances and potential damage to properties.
• Swooping at people – Gulls may swoop, particularly when protecting their young or attempting to grab food.
• Aggressive behaviour – Gulls have learned to scavenge from humans, sometimes becoming territorial over food sources.

Preventing Gull Problems

Do Not Feed the Gulls

Feeding gulls encourages them to become dependent on human food sources, which leads to:

• More aggressive behaviour, including snatching food from hands
• Larger numbers of gulls congregating in feeding areas
• Increased droppings, which create health and cleanliness issues

Dropping food waste for birds can be considered littering, which is a criminal offence. Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) of £80 can be issued for littering under Highland Council and Police Scotland regulations.

Proper Waste Disposal

One of the biggest attractions for gulls is easy access to food waste. To prevent this:

• Use secure, lidded bins to store waste.
• Avoid leaving waste bags outside overnight, as gulls can easily tear into them.
• Dispose of all litter in gull-proof bins.
• Businesses should ensure commercial waste is secured properly and disposed of in a timely manner.

Gull Behaviour and Nesting

• Gulls return to the same nesting sites each year.
• They can live for 30+ years, making prevention essential for long-term management.
• The breeding season lasts from March to August, during which gulls can become particularly aggressive in defending their nests and chicks.
• Once a nest is established, it is illegal to remove or disturb it until after the breeding season.

Protecting Your Property from Gulls

If you own a property in Inverness City Centre, you can take measures to prevent gulls from nesting and causing damage:

• Install spikes, netting, or wire deterrents to stop gulls from landing on rooftops, ledges, and chimney stacks.
• Remove old nests outside of breeding season (September to January) to discourage return.
• Use reflectors or other visual deterrents to make rooftops less attractive to gulls.
• Ensure bins and waste storage areas are covered to remove food sources.

Property owners are responsible for gull-proofing their buildings. Highland Council does not provide a service for removing nests or deterring gulls from private properties.

Find a trusted professional for roof checks and deterrent installation:
🔗 Trusted Trader Highland

What Can Businesses Do?

Businesses play a key role in reducing urban gull problems. To help:

• Encourage staff and customers NOT to feed gulls.
• Provide and maintain secure waste bins.
• Schedule waste collections to avoid food waste sitting outside for long periods.
• Consider gull-proofing measures for rooftops and outdoor seating areas.

Report any Gull issues via our portal:

If you encounter any gull nuisance issues in Inverness City Centre please report them via our survey which can be accessed by scanning the QR code below or via www.surveymonkey.com/r/GULLS.  The information gathered will help to support our future gull management programme (subject to funding).

Contact Environmental Health

For concerns about environmental health issues, please contact Highland Council’s Environmental Health team: 📞 01349 886606
📧 envhealth@highland.gov.uk
🌍 Highland Council Website

By working together, we can help manage gull-related issues in Inverness City Centre and maintain a cleaner, safer environment for everyone.

Thanks to S2 Pupils from Inverness High School who have helped with our Gull Management Marketing campaign.