Gulls all at sea as UK populations take a dive - British Trust for Ornithology

British seaside gulls may divide opinion, but recent research shows that these charismatic, and sometimes controversial, birds are struggling to survive in our modern world.

Evidence published this week (w/c 18 May), shows significant declines in the numbers of several common and widespread species inhabiting our shores.

A visit to the UK seaside would not be the same without the scent of candy floss and salty sea air, or the familiar and evocative cries of ‘seagulls.’ But new research shows that these characterful coastal birds are having a tough time, and numbers are in steep decline.

A report, published this week by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), assesses the outcomes of a long-standing nationwide study into the numbers and distribution of the UK’s common gull species. Carried out in the winters of 2023/24 and 2024/25, the most recent Winter Gull Survey (WinGS) has revealed a bleak picture overall for these well-known and idiosyncratic birds.

Six species of gull were targeted in the project: Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, and Mediterranean Gull. This latter species, a relatively recent coloniser, was added to the list for the first time since the survey began in the winter of 1952/53, and is still only present in small numbers.