29/05/2026
Gull chicks are not abandoned! 📣
Last year, we admitted 295 gull chicks. Of these, 166 (56%) were "kidnapped"- healthy chicks that had been unnecessarily removed from their parents by well-meaning members of the public. Every animal that comes into care unnecessarily places additional strain on our staff, facilities, and resources- limiting the time we can dedicate to genuinely sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife. Most importantly, coming into care is not a positive experience for a healthy wild animal. Rescue, transport, captivity, and rehabilitation are all stressful and frightening. Wild animals should only be brought into care when they genuinely need help.
Gull chicks belong on the ground!
Gulls are hardy little chicks, designed to survive falls and begin exploring on foot shortly after hatching. It is completely normal to find young gulls wandering around on the ground while their parents continue caring for them.
Please do not put gull chicks back onto roofs.
The parents know where their chick is and will continue feeding and protecting it on the ground. In many cases, you may not actually see the adults feeding the chick. Gulls often deliver food quickly or drop food from above rather than spending long periods standing beside their young. If a chick is bright, alert, active, and responsive, this is usually a very good sign that it is being cared for.
If a chick is in immediate danger: move it, don't rescue it. A short relocation to a nearby safe area is often all that is needed. The key is to keep the chick within sight and hearing distance of its parents so they can continue caring for it. There is no need to cuddle, rear, or take the chick home. Simply place it somewhere close by where possible to do so.
If the chick looks injured:
Many gull chicks will limp slightly for a day or two after leaving a roof. They typically land feet-first and can be a little stiff or sore afterwards.
A mild limp immediately after coming off a roof is not usually concerning. However; obvious deformities, dangling limbs, inability to stand, bleeding, or a limp that persists for several days should be assessed by a wildlife rescue centre.
Growing gull chicks often have droopy-looking wings. Developing flight feathers are surprisingly heavy, and it is normal for the wings to hang lower as these feathers emerge. This is usually a sign of a chick growing up, not a sign that it needs rescuing. Unless the wing is hanging at an unusual angle, dragging on the ground, visibly deformed, or the chick is unable to use it, drooping wings alone are usually not a cause for concern.
If there are cats nearby:
We are often asked whether healthy gull chicks should be taken into care because there are cats, dogs, foxes, crows, or other predators in the area.
Predation is unfortunately a risk faced by all young wildlife. While domestic cats represent an additional human-associated threat, wildlife rescue centres cannot feasibly remove every healthy chick from the wild to protect them from potential predators.
If we attempted to do so, we would quickly become overwhelmed and unable to help the animals that genuinely need rescue.
Instead, we encourage people to:
- Keep cats indoors where possible, particularly during bird breeding season.
- Keep dogs on leads around nesting and fledging birds.
- Give young wildlife space and allow parents to continue caring for their offspring.
When should you intervene?
You should contact a wildlife rescue centre if a gull chick:
- Has an obvious injury.
- Is trapped or unable to move away from danger.
- Has been caught by a cat or dog.
- Is weak, collapsed, unresponsive, or clearly unwell.
- Has definitely been abandoned for a prolonged period.
True abandonment is uncommon.
Unnecessary removal of healthy chicks, however, is something we see every single day.
Young gulls spend a period of their lives in what is essentially the bird equivalent of being a toddler. They are no longer confined to the nest, but they are not yet capable of flight.
During this stage, they are highly mobile and may wander considerable distances from where they hatched. It is completely normal to find them running around on pavements, grass, gardens, car parks, and other open areas.
Older gull chicks are often surprisingly streetwise. They have spent weeks observing their surroundings and learning from their parents. Many will actively move away from people, avoid roads, seek cover when threatened, and make use of nearby rooftops, walls, and fences for protection.
A chick moving around independently is not a sign that it has been abandoned. In fact, it is exactly what we would expect a healthy developing gull to do.
Please help us keep gull families together this year by sharing this post and encouraging others to seek advice before lifting a chick.
The vast majority of gull chicks have the best chance of survival exactly where they are, with their parents.
And please remember- gulls are extremely good parents. They often protect their chicks by swooping at predators (including humans!). We will not interfere in situations where gulls are a “nuisance”, they are simply protecting their young and will move off once the chicks have grown up.
