Seagulls just trying to survive, says Dunedin councillor Sophie Barker

Dunedin city councillor Sophie Barker, flocked by red-billed gulls in the Octagon yesterday, says we need to learn to love our airborne neighbours. Photo / Stephen Jaquierry

Gulls pestering Dunedin diners are just parents desperate to feed their young “in an increasingly hostile world”, a city councillor says.

Former Otago Peninsula Trust marketing manager and councillor Sophie Barker has swooped in to defend the birds after claims from businesses that gull aggression in the city is on the rise.

At least one cafe business has resorted to arming customers with spray bottles to ward them off.

Barker said red-billed (tarāpunga) and black-billed (tarāpuka) gulls — two protected species — were misunderstood.

“Gulls have always been opportunists.

“They’re working hard at this time of the year to feed their chicks, so they may be a bit more desperate than usual.”

It was illegal to interfere with red-billed gulls, so spray bottles were not an appropriate option.

She suggested seaside businesses advise customers to keep watch and not to feed them, no matter how tempting it may be.

“Just wave the cheeky birds away, and don’t leave your meal unattended — that’s an open invitation.

“Even though they exhibit some scraggly behaviour, we should learn to love them as a valuable treasure in our city.

“They’re just wildlife trying to survive in an increasingly hostile world.”

Department of Conservation coastal Otago operations manager Gabe Davis said there was a misconception that because gulls were quite visible, that meant the species must be doing well.

While the number of red-billed gulls was increasing in coastal Otago, they were declining nationally, as were black-billed gulls.

Foraging for scraps was a behaviour gulls had learned from humans and outdoor diners could intervene by not leaving food scraps lying around outside, he said.

“Not only does it reinforce a negative stereotype of them being a nuisance, the food they are fighting over does not have the right nutrients needed to grow eggs and chicks.

“Stop leaving rubbish out and accessible.

“Don’t feed gulls scraps, and clear tables quickly at places gulls are known to frequent.”

Dunedin environmentalist Jamie Lynds, of Opoho, was one of several residents who contacted the Otago Daily Times to share their close encounters with gulls.

A gull once ripped a sandwich roll from her hands outside New World Centre City before a flock “engulfed” the downed lunch.

Despite the experience, and the empty stomach, gulls did not deserve the bad rap they received, Lynds said.

“I hope there’s a better, harmonious relationship for all out there.”

Taylor Baughan, of Mornington, said a group of gulls followed him through the Octagon on Saturday before he was dive-bombed by two birds who “took a chunk out of my pie”.

It is not clear how many of the gulls frequenting the inner city also frequent the Green Island Landfill, where more than 8000 southern black-backed gulls (karoro) have been counted.

In an initial gull management plan for the landfill, the Dunedin City Council said the new green bin for food and organic waste to be introduced mid-year would allow for the removal of food for the birds from the general waste stream, resulting in an expected decrease in gulls in the long term.

tim.scott@odt.co.nz