Birdwatcher shares upsetting discovery made while observing nature park: 'It's very sad to see'

A man recently captured images of an upsetting scene involving litter and a bird at a local park near Norwich in the U.K.

What happened?

The Eastern Daily Press reported that birdwatcher Edmund Mackrill snapped photos of what appeared to be a yogurt cup stuck around the neck of a herring gull at Whitlingham Country Park. 

The young gull, estimated to be around nine months old, did not display any signs of distress while swimming in the broad, according to Mackrill. 

He noted that the bird likely picked the trash up in another region or even country since the species uses Whitlingham as a pit stop when migrating from southern Europe and Africa to northern Europe to breed. 

"They are scavenging birds so it's more likely to have been poking around in a rubbish site somewhere," he said. "It's very sad to see a bird affected by plastic pollution like this." 

Why is plastic litter concerning?

While the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List categorizes herring gulls as least concern globally, the RSPB listed them as a high conservation concern in the U.K. because of their dwindling numbers. 

The reason behind this decrease remains unclear, but the British Trust for Ornithology believes that botulism has contributed to a population that has "declined considerably" over the past fifty years. 

Herring gulls also have a proclivity to scavenge through rubbish piles, increasing their exposure to entanglement and toxic microplastics. Researchers have found plastic particles wreaking havoc in the digestive systems and lungs of wild birds. 

Other birds would have met their demise after getting trapped in plastic waste if not for the quick actions of good Samaritans. Even then, around 1 million birds die each year because of plastic waste. 

What's being done about plastic litter?

A spokeswoman for Whitlingham Country Park told the Eastern Daily Press that no one else had reported seeing the bird Mackrill spotted. However, she mentioned that civilians who encounter a similar situation should phone the local animal rescue or the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. 

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She also said that though park staff and volunteers routinely pick up trash, visitors are welcome to lend a hand. 

Meanwhile, you can take proactive measures at home by replacing plastic bags, water bottles, health and beauty products, and food containers with sustainable options.

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