Collecting ‘gourmet’ eggs from black-headed gulls should be banned, says RSPB

Conservationists say government must stop licensing ‘unsustainable’ harvest of eggs from amber-listed birds

Licences 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 the eggs to be “taken off all menus”.

Each spring, thousands of eggs are collected from the amber-listed seabird’s nests and sold under licences issued by the government’s wildlife watchdog, Natural England. They are considered a delicacy in fine-dining restaurants, known for their creamy yellow yolks and beautiful speckled shells, and can sell for more than £8 each.