Like many of us, I have seen the sad sight of birds laying dead having been spiked by bird deterrent spikes or caught in deterrent mesh netting. I recently saw a Herring Gull hanging off one such spike deterrent on a roof ridge. Herring Gulls are sadly now endangered as their numbers plummet.  A pest controller recently explained to me they had found many dead birds including 20 gulls, 100 pigeons and even a swift caught in netting. the image with this post was kindly donated by Kelly from Runham Wildlife Centre who is shown here cutting out a gull killed by deterrent netting. According to the experts, simple nuisance or minor damage are not legally sanctioned as reasons to kill gulls or pigeons, yet bird deterrents which injure and kill thousands of birds, are still on roofs across the U.K. 

Bird deterrents are often put up in response to noise nuisance rather than any damage to the building. Any measures should be appropriate and relative to the degree of damage or nuisance caused. Websites exist with advice on relatively easy steps to take on how to address issues posed by birds, without killing them. The death and suffering of birds on deterrent spikes or trapped in netting is both harmful and unnecessary. 

Please sign to help get the U.K. government to review and legislate against the use of bird deterrents, to ensure that such cruelty to birds and particularly those that are now endangered species, is reduced or preferably stopped. 

Together we can make a difference to help save birds from such lingering cruelty and preserve biodiversity. Please sign this petition and share widely. Thank you.