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The Guardian
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Trying to get rid of noisy, food-stealing gulls is missing the point – it's humans who are the pests
At this year's Cannes film festival, some unexpected hires joined the security detail at luxury hotel the Majestic. They were clad not in kevlar but in deep chestnut plumage, with wingspans up to four feet, talons for toes and meat-ripping ebony beaks. The new recruits were Harris hawks and their mission was clear: guard stars from the aerial menace of gulls daring to photobomb or snatch vol-au-vents. This might sound like an extreme solution to a benign problem – after all, haven't most of us lost sandwiches to swooping beaks and come out relatively unscathed? But as these notorious food pirates come ashore in growing numbers, cities around the world are increasingly grappling with how to manage them. Hiring hawks from local falconer Christophe Puzin was the Majestic's answer to curbing gull-related incidents (such as Sophie Marceau's 2011 wine-on-dress situation). But in metropolises such as New York, Rome, Amsterdam and London gulls are widely considered a menace, too, as they take up permanent residence on urban stoops. Gulls seem to be louder than ever, which makes it easy to forget their status as seabirds in crisis. All of the more than 50 global species of gull are falling victim to fragmenting habitats under conflicting marine policy measures, devastating avian flu, and even brain damage and organ failure resulting from plastic ingestion. In the UK, this torrent of trouble has rendered many species of gull in decline. Predator-free rooftops have enticed them from the waves since the 1940s and, broadly speaking, gulls have adapted well to their changing environment – even becoming effective urban seed dispersers. Lamp-posts have replaced cliff ledges, buildings are islands, landfill is rocky shore. One study found that gulls can recognise human routines, with their presence around schools tripling during mealtimes. Their adaptation – however bothersome it might be for us – has driven their survival. Perhaps acknowledging this could help us to live alongside them. As we have no licence to either capture or kill these birds, introducing hawks as agents of natural gull control is one method of regulating human/gull interaction. Some councils have produced gull awareness campaigns, encouraging locals to report nesting and not to feed them. Others default to installing physical barriers, such as spokes and spikes, to discourage gulls' resting sites. Such measures are expensive for local authorities and their effectiveness is inconclusive. Some councils, such as Carlisle, opt for a more covert approach, threatening gulls more gently in the form of hawk-like kites. In Exeter, Deliveroo trialled 'repellent' audio tracks, broadcasting recorded falcon cries and gull distress calls to deter them. Researchers at the University of Exeter have also investigated the benefit of holding eye contact with a gull, in making them think twice about stealing food. But such an array of anti-gull options perpetuates the patronising narrative of these animals as pests. The fact that gulls are thriving in cities points to our own ecological failures as a society. Global household waste is growing rapidly, most of which is thrown into landfill, where it is left to rot, releasing large amounts of methane – a greenhouse gas 80 times more harmful than carbon dioxide for 20 years after its release. We aren't so much giving gulls an ocean eviction notice as we are begging for them to come inland, feeding their instinct to dive, rip and smash around us – one bin day at a time. So what are urban gulls, if not a menace? Perhaps, in Cannes, they're a message of timing. The film festival takes place in May, during gull breeding season (April to July). It is a period when gulls are loud and chaotic, their defensiveness spiking when hatching and fledging; and when food is visible, we're baiting them with easy pickings. With broods to protect, reflexes are heightened. It is easy to conflate gulls' seasonal survival with year-round behaviour. On wilder shores, these periods of increased activity would unfold unnoticed. But we have altered ecological niches to make cities too tempting, deforming the instincts of species trying to adapt with acts of imagination and resilience. As a long-living social species that has mastered feats of adaptation, gulls have much to teach us. And as they adapt to urban habitats, we must also learn to live alongside them. This offers us a chance to change the story, to shape the future of shared urban spaces. Spaces where festival organisers align with nature's calendar, and the rhythms of life are respected. Spaces where waste is not just managed, but reimagined. Spaces where human impact is studied with intent, not ignorance. Spaces that would allow our relationship with the wild to mature so profoundly, conflict would become obsolete. Sophie Pavelle is a writer and science communicator
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tradesman fixes 600 potholes to save taxpayers £100k - and five other stories you missed this week
A tradesman who spent his free time repairing almost 600 potholes is one of our best local stories of the week. Devon Live reported that scaffolder Dermot McGeough, 43, saved taxpayers more than £100,000 by fixing potholes across three areas in the past four years. Elsewhere, a 77-year-old nurse from Lincoln celebrated working in the NHS for 61 years and hawks have been brought in to scare off pigeons from three train stations in Yorkshire. You can read the full version of each of our selected articles through the links under each story – or read more top headlines from around the UK's regions on the Yahoo UK local news page. A tradesman has reportedly saved the taxpayer over £100k by fixing nearly 600 potholes in North Devon. Dermot McGeough, a 43-year-old scaffolder, said he has fixed 570 potholes in the Appledore, Northam and Westward Ho! area over the past four years. He carries out the work voluntarily and has calculated that he has saved the public £107,730 so far. Read the full story from Devon Live A remarkable collection of Star Wars memorabilia - some pieces picked up at flea markets for as little as £1 - is expected to make thousands when it goes under the hammer in a toys and models auction this week. The collection has been entered in the sale by East Yorkshire former soldier Jason Darling. He caught the Star Wars bug back in 1983 when he got the dream Christmas present of half the nation's schoolboys, a Millennium Falcon, a model of the iconic starship that had been created by Palitoy to coincide with the release of Return of the Jedi. Read the full story from Hull Live An unlikely guest has checked into a large lake reputed to be amongst Britain's cleanest. Mostly he's unobtrusive, the only signs of his presence being the trees gnawed and felled by the lakeside. He keeps a low profile. 'I've only seen him properly once in three years,' said Paul Harston, CEO of Park in the Past near Hope, Flintshire. Read the full story from North Wales Live Teresa Jackson, who began her nursing career 61 years ago at Grimsby hospital, is still tirelessly caring for her patients. From the tender age of nine, Teresa had a dream to become a nurse, often practising her bandaging skills on her dog and baby sister. Now, at the age of 77, she continues to dedicate her life to the care of others with no immediate plans to retire. Born in North Hykeham, Lincoln, Teresa embarked on her journey as a cadet nurse at Grimsby General Hospital after leaving school at 16. Read the full story from Grimsby Live Hawks are being used to deter pigeons at three East Yorkshire railway stations. Maverick and Zulu, the Harris Hawks, have been patrolling the skies above Filey, Beverley, and Driffield stations since February as part of a 12-week trial that aims to prevent the pigeons from nesting (the hawks are not being used for hunting). Train operator Northern has been locked in a battle with the pigeons due to the damage they cause to station roofs and the issues created by their corrosive droppings. Read the full story from York Press A local artist is willing to get his hands dirty to raise money for a unique art project. Paul Browne, from Bath, will wash people's dishes as part of a fundraiser, which will allow him to explore the story behind the everyday chore. He wants to wash up for various types of people living in varied circumstances, whether it's your typical family home, a commune, a residential home, a prison among others. Read the full story from Somerset Live
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Top gun Maverick swoops in to end pigeon chaos
Two birds of prey will patrol the skies above three railway stations in an attempt to bring an end to a "pigeon problem". The Harris Hawks, called Maverick and Zulu, have been introduced in Beverley and Driffield, East Yorkshire, and Filey, in North Yorkshire, as part of a three-month trial. Train operator Northern, which run the stations, said the birds were being used to deter pigeons and prevent them from nesting, rather than for hunting. Alex Hornby, commercial and customer director, said: "We have tried plastic owls and recorded hawk noises but they weren't an effective deterrent." He added: "The pigeons are a real nuisance for our customers and cause headaches for the station staff who have to clear up after them." Northern said it had been "locked in a long-running battle" with pigeons because of damage and corrosion caused by droppings. Last year, the roof at Driffield station was smeared with fire gel, which appears as ultraviolet light to pigeons and tricks them into thinking a surface is too hot to land on. However, instead of solving the issue, the birds flocked to other parts of the station. Northern has previously asked customers to stop feeding birds and avoid leaving food lying around. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Rail users urged to stop feeding pigeons 'My husband built a railway in our back garden' Northern's service improvements 'could take years' Station sets up owl decoys for pigeon poo problem Northern Trains
BBC News
04-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Top gun Maverick swoops in to end pigeon chaos at train stations
Two birds of prey will patrol the skies above three railway stations in an attempt to bring an end to a "pigeon problem".The Harris Hawks, called Maverick and Zulu, have been introduced in Beverley and Driffield, East Yorkshire, and Filey, in North Yorkshire, as part of a three-month operator Northern, which run the stations, said the birds were being used to deter pigeons and prevent them from nesting, rather than for Hornby, commercial and customer director, said: "We have tried plastic owls and recorded hawk noises but they weren't an effective deterrent." He added: "The pigeons are a real nuisance for our customers and cause headaches for the station staff who have to clear up after them."Northern said it had been "locked in a long-running battle" with pigeons because of damage and corrosion caused by year, the roof at Driffield station was smeared with fire gel, which appears as ultraviolet light to pigeons and tricks them into thinking a surface is too hot to land instead of solving the issue, the birds flocked to other parts of the has previously asked customers to stop feeding birds and avoid leaving food lying to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
