Links Between Human Quality of Life and Gulls in Urban Areas

Abstract

Human–avian interactions in urban areas are an important aspect of human quality of life (QOL). Positive impacts on QOL include the aesthetic value of wildlife observation and nature bonding. Negative impacts on QOL include noise, waste material deposition, disease and attacks on domestic animals and people. In the QOL-conscious cities of North America and Europe, large gulls of the Genus Larus, the dominant urban foraging birds, have been extensively studied for their social and ecological impacts. This chapter examines the positive and negative roles of urban gulls in urban QOL. Gulls tend to select areas of high QOL. People and gulls select similar urban contexts (vegetated areas, car parks, roads, waterfronts, riverbanks, beaches, eating places, transport spaces). People use such areas for the enhancement of QOL; recreation, feeding, transport and social interaction. Birds use such areas for foraging, feeding, roosting and sometimes nesting, and actively adapted to human behaviour. The positive impacts of this close association include wildlife observation and conservation values. The negative impacts include predation of valuable animals, noise, building and vehicle damage, food theft, intrusive scavenging of human residences and even attacks on people and companion animals. In terms of QOL, the negative impacts outweighed the positive impacts. The positive impacts were nevertheless important enough for more effective management and further study. This analysis is useful for both QOL and conservation studies.