There is a glimmer of hope for a solution to Elgin’s urban gull problem.
The town is plagued by large numbers of birds with some attacking people.
However, Elgin Community Council heard this week a trial to reduce the gull population in the town centre is showing positive results.
Elgin Bid (Business Improvement District) placed a sonic device on top of the St Giles Centre where there had been around 100 gull nests.
Following the trial, that number fell to six.
Elgin Bid are now looking to install another device in the town centre.
Also, discussions are being held with Moray Council and Elgin Common Good Fund with the aim of rolling out sonic devices across the town.
However each device costs around £5,000.
As well as the two Bid ones, a further seven would be required to cover Elgin.
And with the breeding season fast approaching they need to be installed soon.
Speaking after the meeting community council chairman Alastair Kennedy said: “These figures are very possessive.
Urban gull problem
“The nests at the St Giles Centre went down from 100 to six.
“The sonic device doesn’t hurt the gulls so we’ll see how this can be taken forward.”
The community council has been raising the issue of urban gulls for years and is involved with developing a gull management plan along with the local authority.
Sonic devices prevent gulls from breeding, reducing the population.
However as offspring nest in the area they are born, it could take some time for that cycle to be broken.
John Divers is one of six Elgin councillors who administer the common good fund.
He said: “It could take five years for the birds to realise this is not a place to nest.
“And of course, these devices won’t work on every gull.
“But I’m hopeful there’s going to be a positive outcome from this.”
The local authority carried out similar trials at East End Primary in Elgin and a works depot in Mosstodloch last year that proved successful.
