A shocking video showing a drunk man capturing a gull while friends appear to attempt to hit the bird has emerged following Aberdeen’s first weekend of restriction easing.
Footage recorded after pubs closed in the early hours of Sunday morning shows drunken revellers on Union Street where the attack on the gull happened.
The video also shows another man using high-level scaffolding as monkey bars on the first weekend of Level 0 in the Granite City.
The actions of the man have been condemned by Scotland’s animal welfare charity.
As the clip begins the unidentified man is holding the distressed animal with both hands whilst another man repeatedly attempts to strike the bird.
Moments later he releases the gull that appeared to try and bite him, however it’s not known it if it was injured or just in shock as it only flew briefly.
Thirty-minutes earlier another man was caught on camera after he had scaled scaffolding between two buildings on Harriet Street.
Hanging precariously 20ft above the ground he swings sideways as he treats the structure as a piece of playground equipment.
‘The bird will have been in considerable distress’
Scottish SPCA chief superintendent Mike Flynn said: “All birds in the UK are protected and it is illegal to trap or capture them in any way.
“We do not know the circumstances around this incident but from the video it is clear that the bird will have been in considerable distress due to being restrained in this way.
“We are also concerned by the person who appears to try and strike the gull in the video. It’s unclear whether they succeeded.
“Gulls can be seen as pests due to their scavenging nature and tendency to swoop on people which could be down to having a chick nearby or to steal food. This is due to depleted food sources at sea and an abundance of areas they can search for food inland such as hospitality waste areas.
“Gulls are still animals and deserve to be treated humanely. It’s against the law to interfere with any protected bird. If you know any details of this incident, please report it to our animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”
Police Scotland confirmed that neither incident had been reported to them.