Welsh primary school deploys hawk to stop nuisance seagulls from dive bombing their yard Pupils at a Welsh primary school are being given their own hawk to fight off nuisance seagulls. The hawk and […]

Pupils at a Welsh primary school are being given their own hawk to fight off nuisance seagulls.

The hawk and a falcon will be flown above Eifion Wyn primary school in the coastal town of Porthmadog to drive the seabirds away.

Gwynedd Council said nesting gulls had been diving on the school yard.

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The school’s headteacher Carys Jones said: “The gulls were a real concern for a period last summer, and they can be quite terrifying especially for our younger pupils.”

With gulls a protected species, the options available to address the problem are limited. However, after considering the situation, we came to the conclusion that the best way forward was to recruit the services of natural specialists to deal with the nuisance gulls. Dafydd Meurig, Gwynedd Council

Over the coming months, a specialist company will deploy the hawk and the falcon to patrol the skies above the school and the nearby Glaslyn Leisure Centre.

The council said it would “drive the nuisance gulls out of town”. It is thought to be the first school to use a hawk to tackle seagulls.

Last year, gulls nested on the roof of the leisure centre and dived on to the school. Some of the chicks fell from their nests on to the school yard.

The school will use the hawk to teach children about birds of prey.

Porthmadog West Councillor Selwyn Griffiths said: “I am a grandfather to a pupil who attends the school.

“From my conversations at the school gate, I know that the seagulls have been a real concern to pupils and parents. I’m very pleased that the council has listened to our concerns and taken these steps which we hope will resolve the problem.”

Nuisance gulls

Dafydd Meurig, Gwynedd Council cabinet member said: “Gulls are an everyday sight around the Gwynedd coast and can in some cases cause real concern for residents.

”Last year in particular, there was an issue in Portmadog, where there were reports of gulls diving down onto the school yard, which obviously caused distress for the pupils and staff.

“With gulls a protected species, the options available to address the problem are limited. However, after considering the situation, we came to the conclusion that the best way forward was to recruit the services of natural specialists to deal with the nuisance gulls.

”A specialist company will now be visiting the area on a regular basis over the coming months with a falcon and hawk to keep the gulls away.”