Collection of 'gourmet' eggs of black-headed gulls should be banned, RSPB says

Permits have been issued for more than 160,000 eggs to be taken from black-headed gull nests since 2019, government data shows, as conservationists call for eggs be "removed from all menus".

Every spring, thousands of eggs are collected from amber listed seabird nests and sold under licenses issued by the government watchdog wildlife, Natural England. They are considered a delicacy in gourmet restaurants, known for their creamy yellow yolks and beautiful speckled shells, and can sell for over £8 each.

While delighting gourmet diners, conservationists fear the taste of these eggs could harm an endangered species, which has a breeding population in the UK of just 140,000 and is on the RSPB's orange list.

The number of licenses granted in 2022 was at an all-time high of 2,500, but conservationists say that's still too many and the collection of eggs should stop completely, especially given the added pressure birds are under from avian flu.

Jeff Knott, RSPB Policy Director, said: "With many species of seabirds coming under increasing pressure from climate change, food availability and avian influenza, collecting black-headed gull eggs for food is not an option. not sustainable, unnecessary and should stop.

Licensing data seen by the Guardian shows that in 2019 over 60,000 eggs were allowed to be harvested and licenses were granted for over 95,000 in 2020. In 2021 there was a moratorium on egg taking in Hampshire over fears it might not be sustainable. As a result, the total number was much lower, with 7,000 licenses to be taken in 2021 and 2,500 in 2022, with the moratorium continuing.

Martin Slater, Deputy Chief Executive of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said: "Many of our once common wildlife species are in decline, including black-headed gulls, so we are surprised to see these licenses still issued in Yorkshire.

"We would like these licenses to finally end here too, and for the eggs of these endangered birds to be permanently removed from sale and from all menus", he added.

In 2009, an article published in the journal Acta Oecologica showed that although most black-headed gulls lay more to replace the eggs that are taken, this consumes a lot of energy, which means harvested sites had "lower hatch success and chick survival".

According to the study, which focused on a colony in Hampshire, the Depletion of the female's reserves also reduced her chances of survival and successful reproduction in the future. Other birds might also be disturbed during collection.

Seagull eggs are usually sold to wholesalers, large food markets such as Billingsgate in London, and high-end restaurants. range, where they are promoted as a seasonal delicacy. During the 1930s, nearly 300,000 eggs a year were traded in London's Leadenhall Market. Certified collectors are known as "eggs".

Dr Malcolm Hudson, Associate Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Southampton and co-author of the Acta Oecologica study, researched the colony at Lymington, Hampshire. He said the eggers visited the sites daily and took eggs from nests with only one egg to make sure it was under 24 hours old, systematically working their way through the colony.

Hudson said: "I disagree with the collection of black-headed gull eggs in the UK - it is a bird of conservation concern, protected under our laws, with declining numbers and few thriving breeding sites.

"Collecting does nothing to improve our food security - it's a very small number of eggs consumed by a tiny (well-to-do and well-fed) part of our population."

Natural England only licenses people who have a "traditional claim", which usually means it's family run, especially within the fishing community.The collection window is April 1 through May 15, with...