War in the air (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

War in the air

Flying to the rescue Neil Curtis with his three-year-old Harris Hawk RolfSEAGULLS intent on settling in Swindon could soon be winging their way out of the town.

That is if one man has his way and unleashes hawks and falcons on the unsuspecting newcomers.

As reported in Wednesday's Adver, wildlife experts say seagulls will become a serious problem in Swindon unless action is taken now.

In 2004 a survey showed that we had 87 pairs in Swindon which was an increase of 24 per cent on the previous year.

Latest figures from Bristol University show that there are as more than 240 pairs of the birds.

And John Warwick, of the Swindon and District Animal Haven said they had received reports of seagulls causing a nuisance.

Neil Curtis works for NBC Bird Solutions, a Cheltenham company which will soon be opening a branch in Swindon.

He said: "Using hawks and falcons is by far the most effective method of getting rid of seagulls.

"The growth rate for seagulls is 24 per cent a year and when they lay eggs they have a 99 per cent success rate.

"The birds also return to their place of birth when they are adults so now they are here they will keep coming back.

"They are not just a nuisance but they can damage property and there are health and safety issues."

But while the thought of letting birds of prey loose on the seagulls may sound cruel Mr Curtis says no-one gets hurt.

"It's not cruel," he said. "It's nothing more than nature.

"The birds we use are trained as deterrents.

"They are not trained as hunters, they are trained to fly around and look evil."

NBC Bird Solutions currently works on more than 30 landfill sites across the country where the birds are a problem.

They also work for private companies in Cardiff and Gloucester, where there are an estimated 2,300 pairs of gulls. And Mr Curtis had a few words of warning for anyone who thinks Swindon is safe from the flying invaders. "I would point them to the likes of Cardiff and Gloucester-shire," he said.

"Ten years ago they said 'we haven't got a problem.'

"Now they have a real problem. Seagulls can be aggressive and they can carry diseases.

"Swindon didn't have any seagulls in 1998 now there are more than 240 breeding pairs.

"The growth rate is phenomenal."

Gareth Bethell