Mew Gull Larus canus breeding in a residential area of Malmö, Sweden

The Mew Gull Larus canus is both a coastal and inland breeder and can be found on many different substrates, including man-made structures. It is known since long to nest in urban areas of Sweden, but neither the number of urban breeding pairs nor their behaviour have been well documented. We made some observations of breeding Mew Gulls in the city of Malmö in south Sweden and asked the chair of the tenant owners’ association that comprised one of the buildings with Mew Gull nest about the tenants’ experience of the species. Some perceive Mew Gulls as harmful because they dirty the roofs, leave a bad smell, are noisy, and defend their young with aggressive behaviours. Given the often-conflicting interests of gulls and humans, a better documentation of the nesting population in urban areas of Sweden, as well as their behaviour and interaction with people, is called for.