Drivers warned over threat to Isle of Man's young gulls

Injured gulls are cared for by the charity's volunteers

Motorists have been urged to "be patient" with young gulls on Isle of Man roads and report those who deliberately harm them.

Manx Wild Bird Aid said injured gulls were currently being "admitted faster than we can find spaces".

The charity takes in injured wild birds of all kinds, which are then cared for by volunteers.

A spokesman said younger birds had not yet learnt the dangers of "cars, dogs and those who will try to hurt them".

"While some of the injuries we see aren't deliberately inflicted, we know from experience gulls are targeted," he added.

Drivers who spot gulls on the road have been asked to slow down and to dodge the birds if safe to do so as "many are new flyers".

The spokesman said the death of the birds, whether deliberate or not, had a "huge ripple effect".

"Every young gull that dies has an impact on the future population of a species under threat," he said.

The number of gulls injured recently was "soul destroying", he added.

Anyone who sees one of the birds being deliberately harmed has been urged to report the incident to the police.