Uncoordinated Management Research Articles

Gulls in urban environments: landscape-level management to reduce conflict

Populations of several species of gulls ( Larus spp.) have increased dramatically throughout coastal areas of North America and Europe during the past several decades. These increases have been attributed generally to protection from human disturbance, reduction in environmental contaminants, availability of anthropogenic food, and the ability of gulls to adapt to human-altered environments. Gull abundance in urban areas has resulted in numerous conflicts with people including hazards to aircraft, transmission of pathogens and parasites through contamination of water sources, damage to buildings from nesting material and defecation, and general nuisance. Various architectural and habitat management approaches presently are available to reduce gull/human conflicts. For example, gull use of putrescible-waste landfills may be reduced by covering refuse, diverting anthropogenic food to covered compost facilities, erecting wire grids over exposed refuse, and manipulation of turf height in loafing areas. Nesting on roofs can be alleviated through modifications of roofing substrate, reducing the number of roof structures present, and placement of overhead wires. Also, attractiveness of airports to gulls can be reduced through drainage of temporary water and by decreasing the availability of prey and loafing sites through habitat management. Architectural design and characteristics of adjacent habitat should be considered during the planning stages of new facilities in areas where use by gulls is likely. Although control activities can be effective at the site where the gull problem occurs, uncoordinated management efforts may cause relocation of the problems to surrounding areas. Also, site-specific management will rarely solve the problem across a larger scale (e.g., city-wide). A working group comprised of the respective city or county planning commission, affected businesses and other government agencies, private citizens, and wildlife professionals could be formed to provide overall direction for gull management. This working group would define the extent and nature of the problem, develop an appropriate management strategy incorporating ecology of the nuisance species, and conduct periodic assessments of program efficacy. An integrated, landscape-level management approach is necessary to ensure an overall reduction in conflict between gulls and people in urban environments.