Seagull control
Gull control in Hampshire
Gulls nesting on flat roofs from about April, fouling and swooping near nests. We deter and proof before the season starts, and stay within the law once it has.
Herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls nest on flat roofs from about April and defend the area. They are protected, so most useful work happens before then. Between October and February we proof the roofs they use and fly a trained hawk where it suits. It starts with a free site visit.
Signs
Signs you need us
- Gulls nesting on a flat roof
- Seagulls swooping at people
- Gulls screaming on the roof at dawn
- Nest material blocking gutters
What it costs
The site visit is free. You get a written price before any work starts, set out by season.
What we do
-
Step 1
Survey
We find the roofs and ledges gulls use, check for nests, and look at safe access.
-
Step 2
Plan and price
You get a written plan and price, timed around the nesting season, with any licence needs set out.
-
Step 3
Treatment or installation
We fit wire, spikes or netting where they settle, and fly a hawk before nesting where the site suits it.
-
Step 4
Check
We check through spring that pairs are not settling, and act within the law if they do.
-
Step 5
Prevention
After the season we close up the roofs used this year and plan next winter’s work.
Law and safety
Done properly, within the law
Herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls, their nests and eggs are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Deterrence and proofing need no licence as long as no active nest is disturbed. In England, herring gull nest or egg removal usually needs an individual licence from Natural England, applied for in advance; check the current position for lesser black-backed gulls before any nest work. We work licensed where the law requires it. Read bird control and the law.
When to book
Gulls nest roughly from April to August, and the law limits what can be done once they do. Start deterrence between October and February, before birds settle.
- January: booking window
- February: booking window
- March
- April: gull nesting season
- May: gull nesting season
- June: gull nesting season
- July: gull nesting season
- August: gull nesting season
- September
- October: booking window, this month
- November: booking window
- December: booking window
- Gull nesting, roughly April to August
- Booking window, October to February
- This month
October: This is the window to start deterrence, before birds settle in spring.
Related
Other things we deal with
See also bird control and proofing, pigeon control and bird spikes and netting.
Bird control and proofing
Surveys, proofing, spikes, netting and hawk deterrence for pigeons and gulls.
Pigeon control
Pigeon proofing, roost clearance and fouling clean-up for homes and businesses.
Bird spikes and netting
Spikes, netting, wire and solar panel mesh, chosen for the building and fitted by us.
Questions
Questions people ask
Can you remove a gull nest from my roof?
Not without the right licence. Gull nests and eggs are protected, and herring gull nest or egg removal in England usually needs an individual licence from Natural England. We tell you what applies to your roof and plan proofing so it is not used next year.
When should gull control start?
In autumn or winter. Gulls nest from about April and come back to the same roofs each year. Proofing and deterrence between October and February make it more likely pairs choose somewhere else, before the law starts to limit what can be done.
Which gull deterrent works on a flat roof?
Usually proofing: wire grids or netting over the areas gulls nest on, so they cannot land and settle. Spikes suit ledges and parapets rather than open roofs. Hawk patrols help on large or open sites. We recommend what suits the roof after the survey.
Nearby
Where we do gull control
Gull control in Southampton
Southampton city centre, Shirley, Portswood and nearby.
25 min, northRats and mice in terraces; dockside gullsGull control in Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Southsea, Fratton and nearby.
45 min, eastGulls across Southsea; rats in old drainsGull control in Winchester
Winchester, Kings Worthy, Alresford and nearby.
40 min, northPigeons on stone ledges; mice in old buildingsGull control in the New Forest
Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Ashurst and nearby.
15 to 30 min, westMice in cottages and holiday lets; rats at stablesSources