Bird✓ Protected species
Gull / Seagull
Larus spp.
What to do NOW
- 1Cover the beak with one hand while picking up — it bites hard
- 2Wrap in a towel keeping the wings closed
- 3Ventilated dark box
- 4Contact CRAS — gulls often ingest plastic and fishing hooks
NEVER do this
- Do not handle bare-handed: gulls carry Salmonella and Campylobacter
- Do not give food
- Do not immerse in water if it cannot float independently
Important note
Gulls entangled in fishing lines or nets must be handled with extreme caution. Do not cut the line without seeing where it goes: it may have been swallowed. Young gulls in difficulty in urban areas in July–August are often healthy fledglings — do not pick up if they are moving normally.
Legal protection
Most species are protected by the Birds Directive and Law 157/1992.
Also known as
- herring gull
- common gull
- tern
- Mediterranean gull
- little tern
- seagull
Similar animals
Full guide
Injured seagull or gull on the ground in the city: what to do
Gulls are often found on the ground in coastal and inland cities. A practical guide: how to tell if it really needs help, how to pick it up without getting bitten, and where to take it.
Read the guide →
Did you find a gull / seagull right now?
Find the nearest rescue centre →