Councillors insist on action to solve Inverness gull problem

Highland councillors have raised their concerns over failings of the gull management programme in Inverness.

A report on Inverness’ Business Improvement District (BID) was circulated and discussed during a City of Inverness Committee meeting today.

Councillors highlighted problem areas in the city centre and the Inshes roundabout as particular causes for concern.

The report stated that only eight licenses for gull egg removal had been granted in 2024, despite over 90 applications being submitted.

A change to the licensing for gull removal from NatureScot in February has created stricter criteria for removal, delaying the programme.

The change meant licences could only be applied for once nests or eggs were first spotted.

Problems have since arisen as approval for a licence can take up to four weeks, despite hatched eggs having an incubation period as low as three weeks.

The gull egg removal programme has only reached less than 10% of the previous year’s removals, with 178 eggs removed.

Councillor Alasdair Christie called the reduction in egg removal from previous years an “abysmal performance.”

Other seagull deterrance methods include lasers and Reflect-A-Bird, A spinning reflective device to distract birds which the report said had been useful.

Committee Chair Ian Brown said: “This has put us back years as far as I’m concerned.”

Councillor Isabelle MacKenzie said: “I’ve had reports of residents being divebombed, I myself have been divebombed.

“I’ve had a resident who had to go to A&E to have stitches. This is not a laughing matter.

“They are finding it intolerable.”

She added: “I’m seeing a huge number of baby gulls being hit in the streets… there are carcasses littering [the Longman area].”

Councillor Dunan Mcdonald asked if funds left behind from the lack of action could be reallocated elsewhere.

He said: “I’m looking in particular to sports areas like the hockey pitch over at [Bught Lane], which has been devastated.

“It’s closed now because of the mess from the seagull droppings.”

Councillor David Gregg said: “The gulls are absolutely appalling.

“One of the things the gulls are contributing to is the amount of litter in the city centre and Inshes retail park.”

He asked the council to consider investing in seagull-free bins to prevent litter from spilling into the streets.

Councillor Duncan Macpherson agreed and said: “I think we need to be investing in bins that are gull and crow proof, so that people are putting their deposits in the bin and its working properly.”

He suggested a bin with an electronic foot pedal mechanism, remaining shut to curious birds when not in use.

Councillors asked if a representative from NatureScot could speak to the council regarding the issue in a future meeting.