Do I have a Gull nesting and When do I report it?
£1000’s of taxpayers money is wasted each spring by the Council arranging egg and nest removal
visits to sites where a gull nest is reported, but where one does not exist. Up to 37% of all visits are
wasted in this way. To try and reduce this level of misreporting, the Council are putting into place
guidance to help distinguish between nesting gulls and gulls that are perching.
1. Gull nests are built in places that offer some protection for the nest. They are normally found
between chimney pots or wedged behind chimney stacks, vents or other roof structures
They can sometimes be found on sloping roofs which are moss covered, and in gullies
2. Gulls nests can be made of many different natural and even man-made materials. Nests aren't
always very large and can sometimes consist of some grass and moss
3. Gulls start building nests in late April/early May. They lay one egg daily for 3-4 days. In Dumfries,
most gulls do their egg laying around 8-10th May.
4. Once all eggs are laid, gulls sit on (incubate) the eggs, and will do so almost continuously for 24 to
27 days. THIS IS BEST TIME TO CONFIRM THE PRESENCE OF A NESTING GULL ON YOUR ROOF & for
the Council to remove the nest and eggs.
You MUST call the Council AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER CONFIRMING THE PRESENCE OF A
NESTING GULL (see decision tree). If you delay calling the Council, you risk the eggs hatching, and
the parent gulls may start dive bombing you and your neighbours at this point.
Sometimes neighbours have a better view of a nest site than the person who lives in the house on
which the nest is built. If you think your neighbour has a gull nest on their roof ... ask the affected
householder to dreport the nest
Before 8th May
Keep a watch of the site & be ready to
call the Council IF you can confirm a
nest is there
Keep a watch but
probably not a
nest
What date is it?
Standing
No
No
Yes
Where is it sitting?
Are gulls nesting on the roof?
After 8th May
Is the gull sitting
down or standing?
Anywhere other
than between
chimney pots, etc.
Can you see
nesting material?
Can the sitting gull
be seen at the
same location 3 or
more days in a
row?
Between chimney
pots or behind a roof
structure such as a
chimney, vent or
gulley?
Report the location of
the gull's nest to the
Council IMMEDIATELY
on 030 33 33 3000