Householders in Moray are being urged not to feed gulls or leave easy pickings for them.

Each year Moray Council receives complaints about householders putting out food for gulls.

Feeding the birds encourages them to colonise residential areas, nest on the roofs of buildings and create nuisance in terms of noise and fouling. Gulls can also be extremely aggressive during the breeding season as they seek to protect their young.

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The council’s animal services staff respond to complaints by visiting the household responsible and requesting the person’s co-operation.

They are also given a leaflet produced by the council on the problems which gulls can cause in residential and urban areas.

Householders who persist in feeding gulls could find themselves served with an anti-social behaviour order.

"Some people don’t see any harm in feeding gulls but the fact is that the birds come to rely on it as a regular source of food and they will stay in the area to nest, with all the problems that can cause," said a council spokesman.

"People need to show consideration for their neighbours and not encourage gulls by feeding them.

"We would also ask people not to provide easy pickings for gulls by discarding anything which might make a ready meal for them."

(GK)