How to deal with pests, birds and bats

We do not provide a pest control service.

Environmental Health has put together some advice to identify and deal with common pests and other wildlife (PDF 912KB) found in Aberdeenshire.

Gulls 

Gulls are intelligent birds and have learned how to adapt to living in our towns. Our buildings offer them a safe nesting space free from predators where they can readily find food. They can cause problems such as noise, mess from droppings and can display aggressive behaviour especially when protecting their young.

The council does not have any legal powers to deal with gulls or the feeding of gulls. We can only offer advice and work with communities to try and resolve any issues that arise.

Here is what you can do to reduce the attractiveness of towns for gulls:

• Don't feed gulls
• Place litter and food in sealed containers that gulls can't access
• Consider proofing your home or business premises

For more information, view:

• Living with urban gulls (PDF 180KB)
• Gull management guidance

Rats

The natural fauna includes rats. Rats are well known pests, feeding on and spoiling food, carrying numerous diseases and, perhaps largely because these traits, humans have natural aversion to them. In order to control and restrict the local rodent population it is advisable to take steps to protect your property. This is effectively carried out by restricting available food, making sure that food discarded into compost is secure and is not attracting rats, making sure that any bird food is not attracting rats and baiting land appropriately. Any holes leading from the outside of your house to the interior, typically around waste pipes, should be properly sealed.

If you suspect that the local rat population is affecting a number of properties locally, Environmental Health team recommends that you seek to cooperate with your neighbours and collectively engage the services of a reputable pest control contractor. British Pest Control Association has also produced rattled by rats pest advice sheet (PDF 2.9MB) if you need more information. 

If you choose to act individually you must act responsibly and follow all the advice which will accompany poisons and other pest control devices. It must also be noted that because your actions will not be coordinated the problem will take longer to resolve. If you choose to act individually you can find detailed advice online.

Bats

Bats have adapted to roost in houses with some bat species now relying on buildings for shelter. Often you won’t know if you have bats roosting, but if you are worried you should follow the advice and guidance below.

All bats are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is an offence to:

• kill, injure, catch or keep bats
• damage, destroy or obstruct bat roosts
• disturb bats while they are roosting, for example by entering known roosts or hibernation sites
• sell, barter or exchange bats, alive or dead

The Bat Conservation Trust provides information on living with bats. It is a legal requirement to consult NatureScot before you do anything that might affect bats or their roosts. This might include:

• blocking, filling or installing grilles over old mines or tunnels
• Building, alteration or maintenance work
• Getting rid of unwanted bat colonies
• Removing hollow trees
• Re-roofing
• Remedial timber treatment
• Rewiring or plumbing in roofs
• Treatment of wasps, bees or cluster flies

Remember that because bats return to the same places every year, a bat roost is protected even if there aren’t bats there all the time

This explanation should be regarded only as a guide to the law. For further details, reference should be made to sections 9-11, 16-27 and 69 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

For further information on bats visit NatureScot or the Bat Conservation Trust.

Birds

All wild birds are protected by law, we have produced a statement on the protection and enhancement of nesting birds (PDF 84KB).

House martins and swallows are suffering serious decline in their populations, so all nest sites are important. Sometimes house martin droppings can cause a problem, especially from a nest over a door or window. This can be usually overcome by fixing a removable wooden shelf under the nest to catch the droppings. View further advice on what to do about nesting house martins by RSPB. Swallow nests do not tend to cause a problem as they usually nest in outbuildings.