While we are generally a nation of animal and nature lovers, in my experience, I have found that a significant proportion of folk can be a bit intolerant of some animals based on their habits and behaviour, writes Erin McDaid, of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust
For over 20 years I regularly gave talks about the work of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust or topics such as wildlife gardening.
After my talks I’d usually take questions from the audience, and this regularly resulted in people asking for my opinions as to what should be done about what people viewed as ‘problem’ species.
Common questions included ‘why aren’t magpies being controlled’, ‘how can I stop sparrowhawks attacking birds visiting my bird table’ and a range of queries about how people could keep foxes, badgers, or deer out of their gardens.
Whilst many species seem to have the capacity to annoy small numbers of us, one species, or more correctly, group of species, that seem to universally disliked is ‘seagulls’. It may come as a surprise to learn that there is no specific gull called a ‘seagull’.
This generic term applies to some 25 different species of gull found across the British Isles but is probably most often used to refer to herring gulls.
These large, silver-backed, yellow billed raucous birds have, to some extent, skewed our view of gulls — and not in a good way.
Gulls can be divisive. Whether due to concerns about the noise and mess some large colonies make or their bullish, and some would say bullying, scavenging for food on the seafront, few among us would place them high on their list of favourite creatures.
Despite almost universally bad press, I think that there is much to admire about gulls – from their adaptability to their graceful flight. Whilst they do gather in large numbers at favoured sites and inland populations have increased, globally their numbers are under threat.
In August, as breeding draws to a close, large numbers of gulls are on the move meaning migrant birds can be spotted as they drop in at various sites. Numbers can also gradually start to increase at wetland sites such as Idle Valley Nature Reserve, a long-established winter roost.
In amongst the more common species there is always the chance of spotting more unusual species. Along with the herring gulls, other species to look out for include the similarly sized lesser black-backed gull, the striking black-headed gull, possibly my favourite gull, and common gull — a species not as common as its name might suggest.
Occasionally, rarer gull species including Mediterranean, yellow legged, Caspian and little gull turn up — much to the delight of local bird watchers — and all four of these were recorded in Nottinghamshire last August.
Having listed several species, I feel I should point out that gull identification is notoriously difficult. The black-headed gull, for example, might more accurately be described as brown-headed — and for much of the year it has a white head.
If you’re one of the significant percentage of people who can recount a gull-related childhood trauma such as having your chips stolen or ice-cream being knocked from your hand whilst on a pier or promenade, it is likely I’m on a hiding to nothing in trying to convince you of the delights of ‘seagulls’.
But, when spotted soaring in the sky, even the largest gull species are incredibly elegant.
Factor in that many pairs mate for life, both males and females are attentive parents and that individuals can live into the twenties and thirties, making them amongst the longest-lived species and I hope you’re warming to them — even if just a little.
If you also consider their adaptability in living alongside people in a range of environments, then I’d hope that most folk would at least offer gulls a grudging level of respect.
Despite their ubiquity, herring gulls are on the ‘red list’ of species of conservation concern due to significant population decline over recent decades. Many other UK gulls are also of concern.
At the height of summer, many of us head to the coast and time spent by the sea often brings us into close contact with gulls.
So, before you head off on your next seaside sojourn, I’d urge you to at least give ‘seagulls’ a second glance — making sure to observe their markings and mastery of flight in even the blusteriest of conditions.
Once you’ve taken a closer look, you might even be open to giving them a second chance to earn your affections.
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