Seagull season: Morrisons staff cordon off supermarket carparks to protect prospective gull parents

Using overturned trolleys and barrier tape, staff at an English supermarket have cordoned off eight parking spaces - to protect a seagull nest.

A pair of herring gulls have made the Morrisons car park in Liskeard, Cornwall, their summer home this breeding season, building their nest at the base of a tree. The prospective parents have reportedly already laid a clutch of eggs, giving them and their nest legal protection.

The supermarket staff told SWNS they contacted the RSPCA for advice after noticing the birds, and were told to seal off space so the nest would not be disturbed. The animal welfare charity added the gull could scare or hurt customers if it became distressed.

The gulls are now surrounded by barriers, with eight whole car parking spaces cordoned off to protect the new family - ensuring shoppers give them a wide berth.

In England and Wales, all wild birds, their young, nests and eggs are protected under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, according to the RSPCA. It's an offence to damage or destroy the nests of any wild bird while they are either in use or being built. It’s also illegal to destroy or remove any wild bird eggs.

One of Britain’s larger gull species, herring gulls occasionally come into conflict with humans - and are known for snatching food out of holidaymaker’s hands. However, while they might appear to be thriving in towns and cities, the RSPB says these seaside icons are in fact on the conservation ‘red list’ in the UK, at risk of disappearing forever.

The impacts of human activity at sea - including development, climate change, and unsustainable fishing - has made it harder for gulls to live, feed, and raise their chicks in their natural habitats, the conservation charity says. Many of Britain’s seabird species have also been hit particularly hard by the recent bird flu outbreak.

Amber Allott is NationalWorld’s environment and sustainability specialist, covering all things green - from climate to conservation. If you liked this article you can follow Amber on X (Twitter) here and sign up for the free daily NationalWorld Today newsletter here - with Amber bringing you the UK's most important, pressing, weird and wonderful environmental stories every Tuesday.