Trapped seagull freed from iconic Rotorua building

A seagull that spent two days trapped in the tower of an iconic Rotorua building has been freed.

The seagull was trapped in the top tower of the i-Site building on Fenton St since Tuesday afternoon.

Inner-city workers told the council about the trapped bird and attempts were made to free it this afternoon.

The bird is trapped in a tower of the building. Photo / Ben Fraser

The building is owned by the Rotorua Lakes Council.

One of the inner-city workers, who did not want to be named, said she went to the council on Tuesday afternoon and this morning asking if something could be done. She had also gone to the i-Site building to ask the staff there.

Aerial view showing where the seagull is trapped. Photo / File

The council told the Rotorua Daily Post it was doing its best to free the bird and it was freed just before 4pm today.

A spokeswoman said the bird was lured down the tower and staff managed to put a towel over its head and get it outside.

She said council staff were trying to catch the bird in a net on the end of a long pole, which they were putting up into the tower by standing on scaffolding.

Meanwhile, the worker said it had been distressing to her and her work colleagues seeing the bird "flap around".

Before it was freed, she said: "I can see it and it is getting frantic. Eventually it's going to die."

According to New Zealand Birds Online, red-billed gulls are rarely found away from coastal areas - except in Rotorua, which has a resident colony.

The bird is trapped in a tower of the building. Photo / Ben Fraser