Seagulls

[four-wheel-drive]

Just listening to someone on the radio talking about Seagulls migrating to inland towns I have nothing against then where they belong on the coast but they do my head in when we get them fifty miles from the sea flying overhead screaming.

 

my question is are we alowed to shoot the blinking things I do quite like crows and would not shoot them if they do me no harm pigeons I have no problem with shooting them just these gulls why do people like them I do not get it.

[fenboy]

General answer is no you cannot shoot them .

I think one of the black backs is / was on the licence but gull identification is not easy and I doubt the fact they are annoying you would be good reason under the licence !

[four-wheel-drive]

General answer is no you cannot shoot them .

I think one of the black backs is / was on the licence but gull identification is not easy and I doubt the fact they are annoying you would be good reason under the licence !

Thanks so I cannot shoot them then mind you the population of Canada Gease is also going up it seems every year when you get anywhere near to any fishing ponds they are honking there heads off both on the water and flying over head I am thinking that if they go on breeding like they have been they tend to have around six chicks per couple on the fishing ponds every year so it would seem that they will need culling soon as well.

[FatherandSon]

The lesser and greater Black backed gulls were on the GL but I think they're no longer on. Like already said they're hard to ID especially when you can't see their backs (unless they fly inverted!)

[hoggysreels]

Birders guide book/s is an absolute necessity. Ive had a number of them since l was a kid. Gulls l find reasonably easy to identify. Some Terns can be challenging as can Warblers. If your aware of their calls that can help with reliable'ish identification, but its not an absolute science on ocassions.

 

Not shot a Gull even when on GL. They arn't a challenge. They tend to hand on the air at times, totally unaware of danger, typically the oppose of the Crows/Magpies ...

[malantone]

Thanks so I cannot shoot them then mind you the population of Canada Gease is also going up it seems every year when you get anywhere near to any fishing ponds they are honking there heads off both on the water and flying over head I am thinking that if they go on breeding like they have been they tend to have around six chicks per couple on the fishing ponds every year so it would seem that they will need culling soon as well.

 

The lesser black backed can be shot, they have yellow legs and a black back.

The great black cannot be shot, it has pink legs and a black back.

The herring gull has a grey back and pink legs , it could be shot but is now protected, ( god knows why )

If Canada geese are creating a nuisance or health hazard they can be shot anytime of year.

[four-wheel-drive]

I am not really up with all of the different (makes) of seagulls there seems to be two types that we get around this area little white ones about the size of crows we see them in the fields when they are plowing or honing after worms I think then there are the ones that I hate they are quite large in size and they make a lot of noise.

Edited May 3, 2014 by four-wheel-drive

[malantone]

It`s usually the Black headed gull that follow the plough, the bigger varieties aren`t as nimble on the wing. the black heads disappear with the moult I think.. then regrow, (feathers that is)

Edited May 3, 2014 by malantone

[Brooksy789]

I think I read somewhere that some species of gull are actually quite rare/little of them. They all look the same to me so even if a few species were on the GL I wouldn't bother as id probably end up shooting a rare one. Ill stick to what I know!

[birdsallpl]

Suggest you read the terms of the general licence. It is all in there what can be legitimately shot but only in compliance with the stated conditions. Also fully endorse previous post that you must be competent in the correct identification of any bird you may shoot.

Good luck and don't be put of, just learn what you need to know to be in compliance.

Edited May 3, 2014 by birdsallpl

[HW682]

Interestingly, their are quite a few changes proposed to licencing for Gulls. Basically taking them all off of the general licences and creating a new class licence to control for Conservation & Safety with agricultural damage needing an individual licence.

 

(Edit to add: this only for England )

 

 

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/cl-consultation-document_tcm6-37389.pdf (see proposal 3, pasted below)

 

Large gulls

Summary: We are inviting views on the creation of two new Class Licences covering the killing and taking of herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls for the purposes of preserving public health and public safety, and conservation of flora and fauna (including wild birds).

The introduction of such Class Licences would harmonise the licensing of the two gull species, which is currently split between General Licences (all lesser black-backed control plus control of nests and eggs belonging to herring gulls for health and safety purposes) and individual licences (all other herring gull control). A draft Class Licence is available at Annex D, to give an example of what such a licence would look like.

Licensed control for the purposes of preventing agricultural damage would be authorised via individual licence for both species (currently, control of lesser black-backed gulls is authorised by a General Licence).

Great black-backed gulls are also routinely controlled under licence. Since 2010, all control has been authorised under individual licences. We intend to continue to regulate the control of this species via individual licence since the number reported to have been shot under General Licence prior to 2010 represented a very large proportion of the recorded population in England. This position may be revisited in future if we can be more confident about the national population of this species and the significance of licensed control.

Explanation and Rationale

The lesser black-backed gull is currently Amber listed due to the historic concentration of the recorded breeding population at a small number of sites (approximately ten), and a decline in the British breeding population (see Natural England’s supporting evidence paper at Annex E). Concern has been raised regarding the conservation status of this species, and its continued inclusion on General Licences. We are therefore reviewing whether the inclusion of lesser black-backed gulls on the General Licences remains appropriate.

Irrespective of its conservation status, in certain circumstances this species has potential for causing conflicts with human interests. Regulating the control of the lesser black-backed gulls via a Class licence rather than a General Licence for the purposes of conservation and preserving public health and safety would allow Natural England to closely monitor the numbers killed to manage conflicts while maintaining a suitably light touch licensing system for licence users.

 

In 2012, 109 individual licences were issued to take action against herring gull (a Red listed species) for the purpose of conservation. No such licences were refused. Given the similarities in breeding behaviour and habitat requirements of herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls it is likely that where herring gulls are being controlled then lesser black-backed gull control will also be required. We therefore anticipate a similar level of demand for licences to control lesser black-backed gulls as that experienced for herring gulls.

 

 

In 2012, 34 individual licences were issued to take action against herring gulls for the purpose of preserving public health and safety (a further 20 licence applications were rejected, although many of these rejections were due to the action already being covered by the General Licence.) Similarities between the two species again suggest a comparable demand for lethal control of lesser black-backed gull adults and chicks as seen for herring gulls. If action against lesser black-backed gulls and herring gull nests and eggs was no longer permitted under the health and safety General Licence a significant increase in the number of individual licences being issued for this purpose would be anticipated.

In 2012 only 2 licences were issued to take action against herring gull for the purpose of preventing agricultural damage. We believe that the requirement for action against lesser black-backed gulls for this purpose would be similar and thus the need for a Class Licence for this purpose is not apparent.

On the basis of this evidence we envisage that control of herring gulls, lesser black-backed gulls and great black-backed gulls for the purpose of preventing agricultural damage would continue under individual licence.

 

Moving to a Class Licence for conservation and health and safety purposes for both herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls would simplify the current situation for licence users. Currently each species is licensed differently (lesser black-backed via General Licence, and herring gull via a combination of individual and General Licence depending on the purpose and activity). Class Licences would provide information on licensed activities that are currently covered by General Licence (and hence not reported on), but under a more streamlined licensing system than individual licences.

 

 

SSSI consents

When applicants apply to Natural England for an individual licence, where the activity takes place on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), then the application can also be treated as request for a consent to carry control in respect to landowner obligations under section 28E of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). In these cases, where a licence is issued the licence also acts as a consent. If control activities were to be authorised by Class Licence it would the responsibility of the landowner to separately seek consent from Natural England (unless a relevant consent were already in place). The level of burden of this change (from applying for an individual licence to applying for consent for activities covered by Class Licence on SSSIs) should be taken into consideration when giving your views on the introduction of such Class Licences.

Consultation Question(s):

Question 3(a): What is your view on removing lesser black-backed gulls from the conservation General Licence (WML-GL06) and introducing a Class Licence to permit control of herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls for the purpose of conserving flora and fauna?

Question 3( b ): What is your view on removing lesser black-backed gulls from the public health and safety General Licence (WML-GL05) and introducing a Class Licence to permit control of herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls for the purpose of preserving public health and safety?

Question 3( c ): What is your view on the removal of lesser black-backed gulls from the General Licence for the purpose of preventing serious agricultural damage and disease (WML-GL04)? If you consider there is a need for this species to remain on this General Licence, please provide evidence of this need.

 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2014 by HW682