A council has asked homeowners and businesses in Stonehaven to each give £50 to beat the town’s gull menace.
Officials at Aberdeenshire Council are drawing up plans to remove gull eggs from rooftop nests in the town centre during the summer.
However, the council is warning that if the project is to go ahead then the bill will have to be met by the owners of businesses and properties in the area being targeted by the birds.
Kincardine and Mearns area manager Willie Munro has written to businesses and homeowners in Stonehaven asking if they would help cover the costs by contributing £50 each.
A decision to contact businesses and residents was made following discussions with the Stonehaven town centre improvement group.
Pest controllers visited the town in May to remove nests and eggs following reports of nuisance birds injuring people.
James Stephen, chairman of the Stonehaven Town Partnership and member of the improvement group, said: “This is a community-backed initiative.
“It was very well-received last year so we wanted to do it again. It is a great shame it can’t be paid for again by the council, which has no obligation to do so, but this is the reality we live in regarding funding.
“People don’t have to pay and if there isn’t an appetite then it won’t go ahead.
“It would be great to see people getting involved to stop nuisance gulls.”
Gulls are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it illegal to kill, injure or remove any wild bird.
People leaving food, either by dropping it or feeding birds, has led to gulls becoming familiar with humans to the point of identifying them as a food source.
A spokesman for Aberdeenshire Council said the success of the scheme last year has led to an increase in demand.
He said: “While the council has no statutory duty to take action against gulls, it does recognise the need to protect communities. However, it cannot do this alone, and everyone has a role to play in preventing problems.
“The letters were issued with the best intentions.
“There is no obligation on property owners to take part, but clearly the more who take part, the more can be done to tackle nuisance gulls.”
