Birds of prey being used to deter gulls in north-east towns are leading to an increased workload for rescuers.
Keith and Pauline Marley – who own and run the New Arc animal sanctuary – said hawks being used by Aberdeenshire Council in towns such as Peterhead and Stonehaven were scaring young chicks from their nests, causing injuries and often death.
In 2014 – the first year the local authority hired pest controllers to fly the predators – the New Arc found itself caring for an unprecedented 36 herring gulls in varying states of health.
Mr Marley said: “There is a case for replacing eggs with false eggs or making eggs infertile, I haven’t got a problem with that.
“I do have a problem with flying hawks at this time of year, it has absolutely no benefits whatsoever.
“It does not disperse the gulls but it does drive young birds off rooftops before they can fly.
“It’s frustrating that the council will keep spending thousand of pounds employing pest controllers to drive seagulls away – but the side effect is that places like us are left picking up the pieces.”
An Aberdeenshire Council spokeswoman yesterday confirmed hawks were still being used to deter gulls in coastal communities.
The local authority’s environmental health manager, David Cooper, added: “The hawk patrols in Peterhead, Fraserburgh and Stonehaven were not introduced with the intention of harming gulls – but to prevent members of the public being injured by them.”
The New Arc recently set up Reach – an organisation which represents all of Scotland’s “reputable animal charities”.