Falcons Deployed to Battle Seagull Infestation

Edward Walgwe

December 13, 2025
6:45 pm

Workers at a major power plant in Aalborg are struggling with hundreds of kilos of seagull waste covering the rooftop. To fight back, the company has turned to trained falcons for help.

Seagull Infestation at a Northern Denmark Facility

At the Nordjyllandsværket power plant in Aalborg, employees have been forced to clean hundreds of kilos of bird droppings, shells, and debris from the roof each year. Flocks of seagulls have made the site their home, using it for nesting, feeding, and resting. The contamination has become a health concern, causing foul odors that seep into the ventilation system and working areas below.

Facility staff, already frustrated with the constant cleanup, report that the gulls even swoop down at them while they move between buildings. The waste buildup is now so extensive that the maintenance team removes around 300 to 400 kilos annually. For a company that must manage critical energy operations, the unsanitary conditions have become an ongoing headache.

How Birds of Prey Are Being Used to Fight the Problem

To tackle the issue, the utility company Aalborg Forsyning has teamed up with Falkonertjenesten, a Danish business that specializes in using falcons and other birds of prey to deter nuisance birds. The firm’s falconer brought several raptors to the site to create a natural but harmless form of pressure on the gull population.

Interestingly, one falcon was released for short intervals before being swapped with another, gradually covering the entire rooftop area. Over the course of the day, six to eight birds took turns in the air, enough to unsettle the seagulls and make them avoid the area.

While falcons do not physically attack the seagulls, their mere presence is enough to cause strong avoidance behavior. The seagulls recognize predators by instinct and typically leave immediately once they spot one.

Long-Term Impact and Patience Needed

Despite early success, experience shows that seagulls have what’s referred to as “episodic memory,” which means they instinctively return to the spot where they were born. Because of that, the process requires persistence. If the harassment continues for long enough, the birds eventually give up and settle somewhere else.

One previous project by Falkonertjenesten saw an entire colony abandon its site in a single day. However, another job on the island of Zealand lasted 60 consecutive days before reaching results. That range, according to the team, is typical when dealing with coastal facilities located close to water, as is the case in Aalborg.

The falcon handler expects the current mission to take roughly two to three years before the main flocks have permanently relocated. After that, some maintenance flights may still be needed, especially since the plant sits only 50 meters from the quay, which naturally attracts new gulls. Still, once the population breaks its nesting pattern, the problem should largely disappear.

More Than Just a Cleaning Issue

For Aalborg Forsyning, the cooperation with Falkonertjenesten is part of a broader environmental and safety effort to reduce hygiene risks while maintaining operations. Seagull infestations not only cause sanitation problems but can also damage structures and equipment over time.

The cleanup also raises discussions in Denmark about how public facilities use new technology and private services to maintain infrastructure responsibly. Some of these measures tie into national debates around monitoring and management, such as the controversy over state surveillance powers.

From a practical standpoint, this type of pest control aligns with Scandinavian trends toward sustainable urban solutions that avoid the use of chemicals or netting. Instead, natural predators are enlisted to achieve ecological balance. It is a reminder that even industrial areas must sometimes rely on nature itself to restore order.