Red Listed

[Alberta56]

Please try to think kindly about sea gulls. The large, aggressive herring gull is an endangered species and is on the Red List of birds whose numbers are declining drastically. So, I think, is the smaller, harmless kittiwake. Even the commoner species like the black headed gull aren't doing that well. Give the gulls some love, but don't feed them chips which are not good for them. xxx

[sassy59]

We see gulls here but don’t feed them. They can be naughty and help themselves to other peoples food but I wouldn’t want them gone completely. Xxxx

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

I love watching the seagulls they can be quite funny. I would never feed them chips. These birds need protecting bless them, we ssem to have a lot near us but we don't live near the coast. Have a good night and take care 😊 Bernadette and Jack 🐕 xxxxxx 🌻 🌻

[CDPO16]

I have ever fed them anything, it's the gulls that help themselves that are the problem.

[Biofreak]

Don't see many seagulls near me or any gulls. I would never feed them chips for sure. But talking of seagulls reminds me of a funny story from years ago when we were on holiday in St Ives. My daughters were quite young and we had bought some lovely bacon baps from a shop on the harbour. I said to my daughter" Cover up your bap with your hands so that the seagulls don't pinch it". She duly obeyed but soon got distracted by the dogs being walked and forgot about protecting her bap and a huge seagull swooped in and nicked it. She screamed like a banshee. Lesson learned methinks 🤣

[Alberta56 in reply to Biofreak]

Your story reminds me of a time when my dad was on holiday in North Wales. They were visiting a castle and a seagull pooped very accurately on father's bald head. Father was just wiping the gubbins away, when a second gull came in and bombed him in exactly the same place😂😂😂. They're very accurate aimers, these Welsh gulls.

[Biofreak in reply to Alberta56]

🤣😂So funny! Shouldn't laugh but can't help it. My mum used to say that if a bird pooped on your head it was good luck 🤔 so I suppose your Dad had a double dose of good luck that day! ☺️

[Alberta56 in reply to Biofreak]

We all laughed except Dad. xxx

[RoadRunner44]

I'm with you on that Alberta. Fast food has become one of the problems bringing them closer inland as well the as seaside.

[Alberta56 in reply to RoadRunner44]

I think the main problem is lack of food elsewhere. Commercial fishing is depleting our seas and the closure or cleaning up of a lot of Council rubbish tips doesn't help.

[Thepainterswife]

I’m amazed to read that Alberta , thanks for the info . I’m guessing junk food is partly to blame for the decline 🥲 xx

[Buzzytruk]

Although there are smaller birds known as blach headed gulls, they are not really a true gull..Have one who has visited every day for the past 5years ......He is known as. Sid ...,

He is not tame yet appears friendly , when with a group of his breed in the winter he will call to me so I know when to throw bread into the river for him .

If I am indoors he sits patiently on the landing stage waiting for his once a day food.

He is also very good a keeping other birds away from here. Yet has become friendly with the moor hens and ducks. and certainly never bothers the garden birds......

Jo...☺️

[Alberta56 in reply to Buzzytruk]

Black headed gulls are gulls, but they are not closely related to the bigger gulls.

[Buzzytruk in reply to Alberta56]

Suggested reading .....naturespot.org.ukOn their pages you will find a listing for Black headed gulls ......

Where they state these birds are not true gulls .......

Jo.

[Alberta56 in reply to Buzzytruk]

Gosh. My bird books list them as gulls. The books must be well out of date. The people who categorize species have obviously decided bhgs are not gulls. They like doing that. On my last birding holiday in Majorca we spent some time looking for a little warbler which the experts had decided was a separate species from its relatives. I wasn't bothered, but the real enthusiasts wanted to see it. Even I caught a glimpse of its back end and tail diving into a bush. 😂😂🐦

[Buzzytruk in reply to Alberta56]

Happy days ....

Jo..☺️

[silver_rabbit]

Have you ever read Jonathan Livingston Seagull? Yeah I know that it may not have anything to do with certain gulls being endangered but hearing about gulls makes me think of it and it is my favorite book

[Alberta56 in reply to silver_rabbit]

I've never read the book, though I've heard of it. I shall have to try to get hold of it and see if I like I as well as you. Thanks for the recommendation.

[Yeo58]

Seagulls, unfortunately receive bad press, are very much disliked! I live in an area that has a large gull population. Many neighbours bemoan their very existence, and argue they should be culled. Large numbers nest on a warehouse roof near my home, all to often they are being shot at. I hold the view that seagulls, like ALL wildlife, has its place in nature. They are actually very beautiful birds up close, yes they have not nice habits at times, but they are scavengers, cleaning up all sorts, which I won’t list and leave to your imagination. Like most species of birds they are protected in law, they are also in decline and most certainly deserve our respect and love!

[Alberta56 in reply to Yeo58]

Thank you.

[Ergendl]

Love seagulls. The way they fly and soar and swoop. They are just trying to survive in a world vastly changed by human activity.

[Mavary]

You tell them chips aren’t good for them😹. My Husband lost his to a gull.😂. I was killing myself but he was so cross. I’ve always had the urge to catch one and stroke it. I wouldn’t of course but they are so smooth looking. I’m an animal lover anyway.