Roof-nesting gulls 2015: a request for records

In 2014, Dublin City Council in collaboration with BirdWatch Ireland established The Dublin City Urban Birds Project, initiating a series of volunteer-led monitoring projects throughout Dublin City including the roof-nesting gull survey which aims to map the distribution of gulls breeding in urban environments.

The roof-nesting gull survey has continued through the summer of 2015 and we are still looking for members of the public to submit their records of Herring Gulls (pale blue-grey back with pink legs), Lesser Black-backed Gulls (slate grey back with yellow legs) or Great Black-backed Gulls (black back with pink legs) that may be currently tending to well grown chicks.

Herring Gull at a typical urban nest site, located between chimney pots © Daragh Owens

Historical records are also appreciated, so if you have noticed any of the following breeding behaviour on the roof/chimney of your home or place of work this year or in previous years then please fill out the quick and easy roof-nesting gull survey form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Roof_Nesting_Gull_Survey

• Pair of gulls holding territory/displaying at a suitable nest site
• Agitated behaviour (alarm calling, dive bombing) displayed by adults
• Adult seen sitting on a nest or brooding small chicks
• Downy young seen at or near suitable nest site 

Records from other urban areas around Ireland are also welcome so if you have observed gulls breeding on rooftops in any town or city then please let us know.

Lesser Black-backed Gull with a well grown chick © Friends of Emsworth Wildlife

Seabird Event: Gull watch on the Green

Gull watch on the Green: Tuesday 30th June 12:30-3pm at St Stephen's Green

In conjunction with Dublin City Council

Join us on Tuesday 30th June for a free event at St. Stephen's Green, Dublin City where BirdWatch Ireland staff will be present from 12:30 until 3pm to talk about gulls and our work with seabirds as well as the general bird life which can be found around the capital. Come along and learn more about the impressive and often misunderstood gulls that call Dublin City their home.

Herring Gull © Siobhan McNamara

Did you know? Gull Facts:

• 22 species of gull have been recorded in Ireland of which seven breed here regularly.
• Great Black-backed Gull is the largest species of gull in the world, weighing as much as 2kg and with a wingspan of over 150cm.
• Lesser Black-backed Gulls are accomplished migrants. Birds breeding in Ireland may travel up to 3,000km to spend the winter in Morocco.
• Many of our large gulls may live for over 30 years. One Lesser Black-backed Gull ringed as a chick in 1965 was found after it died: 34 years, 10 months and 27 days later.
• Both Black-headed Gull and Herring Gull are 'Red List' species of high conservation concern in Ireland due to serious declines in their breeding populations.

Roof-nesting gulls: a request for records

Regular listeners to the Mooney show on RTÉ Radio 1 will already know all about the the Herring Gull family nesting on the RTÉ studio roof in Donnybrook, south Dublin (link to the Mooney show live camera Herring Gull NestWatch here).

Herring Gulls (with pale blue-grey backs and pink legs) and Lesser Black-backed Gulls (slate grey-black backs and yellow legs) have been nesting on rooftops in coastal towns and in Dublin City Centre for many years, but it seems that the habit is spreading and BirdWatch Ireland wants to track it. 

We are asking you to tell us if you know of any roof-nesting gulls near you. 

We need a postal address (or GPS coordinates), the type of building (office, factory, residence, church, etc.), the species of gull and whether or not you can see a nest and/or chicks. 

Please report your sightings to Dr. Stephen Newton, Senior Seabird Conservation Officer, at snewton@birdwatchireland.ie

Roof nesting Herring Gull (Photo: Darragh Owens)