Warnings on Scottish beaches not to feed seagulls because bird poo contributes to water pollution are being “massively blown out of proportion”, ornithology experts say.
The posters, which are part of Keep Scotland Beautiful’s My Beach Your Beach campaign, have also been criticized for “demonising” seagulls and contributing to a chronic human misunderstanding of the birds’ behaviour.
Dr Viola Ross-Smith, a seagull expert at the British Trust for Ornithology, told the Guardian: “It seems very disproportionate to give people one more reason to worry about seagulls, when we know how water companies are introducing untreated sewage. our waterways and seas.”
“Our seas are full of poop from all kinds of seabirds and fish. Seagull poo is natural and quite harmless compared to wet wipes or dog poo wrapped in plastic.”
He noted that herring gulls were currently red-listed in terms of conservation status, with their population declining by more than 50% in recent decades.
The warnings come as seaside holidaymakers begin their annual tussle with all-too-familiar seagulls.
Ross-Smith said reports of increased seagull attacks should also be read in perspective. “The seagulls are with us all year round and only at this time of year do they get a bad press. It is the end of the breeding season, so the birds try to defend the newly hatched chicks, but this coincides with the beginning of the summer holidays and in tourist spots some birds are specialized in stealing food. But only certain birds do, and many won’t touch human food.”
RSPB Scotland noted that seagull droppings, known as guano, were important sources of nutrients for marine life, such as phytoplankton, which feed a variety of marine species, from snails to fish that humans eat.
A spokesman for the charity said: “The idea that seabird droppings are a driver of marine pollution and poor seawater quality around our coasts is simply wrong. The track is in the name: seabirds live in and on the sea, and have done so for many thousands of years, playing an essential role in the structure and functioning of the marine ecosystem. They are currently facing multiple anthropogenic challenges, such as climate change and highly pathogenic avian influenza, so to demonize them on the basis of something they do not do or cause is careless.”
The My Beach Your Beach campaign, which has been running since 2018 and targets a selection of Scottish beaches that have experienced water quality issues, is also encouraging dog owners to clean up after their pet and remind people to take the sand home with them.
Sign up to First Edition, our free daily newsletter, every weekday morning at 7am BST
A Keep Scotland Beautiful spokesman said: “Dog and seagull poo have been found to contribute to bathing water pollution and can affect bathing water ratings.
“Microbial DNA source tracking (MST) analysis allows the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to identify the source of contamination if we get a high control result in bathing water. They can currently determine if the pollution sources are human, ruminant (including cow and sheep), seagull or dog”.