Rentokil have issued a warning regarding gulls and other pest birds as Dublin sees the highest level of activity so far this year.
August is typically the time of year when gulls are nesting. They can become extremely aggressive and protective of their young. They are also likely to harass or try to steal food from members of the public and raid waste bins in search of food to bring back to the nest.
Bird droppings can also present a hazard as they can contain bacteria including E. coli and Salmonella and can lead to the spread of infections through surface contamination, inhaling bacteria from dried droppings, or being transferred by bird mites, which can bite people.
Read more: Calls to 'cull the gulls' as birds wreak havoc in Dublin
Rentokil is warning people to treat birds with caution this month as this time of year sees increased activity from gulls. Urban areas offer pest birds easy access to food waste and tall buildings can mimic high cliff tops where birds such as gulls would traditionally nest on.
Here are steps you can take to prevent the presence of these pest birds on your premises:
Remove access to nesting sites by putting barriers over window ledges.
Make sure bin lids are secure and rubbish bags are not left in the open – gulls have sharp beaks that can rip bin bags.
Use a fake decoy bird of prey which may deter the presence of pest birds.
Seek the advice of a professional pest control service.
Finglas-Ballymun councillor Keith Connolly has called on Dublin City Council to look at the possibility of culling the animals. Seagulls are a protected species under EU laws but exceptions can be made in certain circumstances.
Cllr Connolly said that the noise that the birds make is a serious disturbance in itself. He said: "There is a serious issue with Seagulls in the city, there has been a steady increase in the population and the noise pollution alone warrants a cull.
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"I have dealt with situations where nesting has forced people to temporarily move out of their homes. The bacteria from their faeces are a lot more dangerous than dog excrement and we have also had situations where sea and herring gulls are robbing food directly from people’s hands.
"I have written to the CEO of Dublin City Council, Owen Keegan, to ask if the possibility of a cull in some areas could be examined in conjunction with the Department of Heritage. I would also urge people not to feed seagulls as this escalates the problem”
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