How To Keep Crows Away From Your Garden?

Crows may be intelligent because they, like us and other intelligent species, are incredibly social. Crows in your yard are extended families who share food and watch out for one another. Before breeding, some young crows assist their parents in caring for their younger siblings. Crows band together to mob a threatening predator or another crow invading the group's territory.

In one breeding season, a crow family can consume 40,000 grubs, caterpillars, armyworms, and other insects. That is a large number of insects that many gardeners and farmers consider pests. These good environmental citizens also transport and store seeds, which aids in forest regeneration. And because they eat carrion, they help to clean up after nature.

What attracts crows to cities?

Crows in the United States can be found in practically any combination of woodland, farmland, orchard, or suburban area. They flourish in the habitat we build, just like other typical urban wild neighbors. Crow populations grew and spread as Europeans invaded North America. Crows proliferated alongside agriculture and urbanization.

Crows' sociability can be difficult for human neighbors in cities and towns when big winter roosts grow. Crows from colder regions migrate to join crows that reside near the roost all year. Communal roosts provide safety. However, the noise and mess of a big winter roost in town causes resentment among human neighbors. Fortunately, these issues are amicably resolvable.

Common problems and solutions

Making the location where crows are unwelcome less appealing to them will help with any difficulties with crows. Crows are drawn to trash, food waste in open compost, pet food, and food left out for other wild species. Keep crows away from food sources, especially.

Secure the garbage.

• Cover compost or compost only yard debris, excluding kitchen scraps.
• Feed pets indoors or observe them if fed outside, and remove food as soon as they finish eating.
• Feed little songbirds with feeders that keep larger birds out, and wipe up spillage under feeders on a regular basis.

Crows are omnivores, which means they eat both plant and animal foods. They will sometimes come to eat one item, such as insects, but then stay or return to eat another, such as garden vegetables. You won't be able to eliminate all potential crow food sources, but removing the simple meal may cause the crows to look elsewhere.

Because crows are so intelligent, you'll need to employ a number of strategies at the same time and begin the management program before birds become habituated to feeding or sleeping where you don't want them. It is more difficult to persuade them to leave after they have settled in.

Crows in garbage

It's simple to keep birds out of trash: Use secure trash cans with tight-fitting lids on a regular basis. Crows are attracted to trash bags or overfilled bins, which they simply open to obtain what they want.

Crows visit trash during the day; rubbish that is spread overnight is the work of others—dogs or raccoons, perhaps—but may be unfairly blamed on the crows who the homeowner sees in the morning devouring the remains after the true perpetrators have fled. No matter who goes into the trash, just closing the lids keeps crows out.

Conflicts caused by large winter roosts

In the 1960s, crows began to abandon rural roosts in favor of towns and cities. Many crows now commute to the country, foraging in cornfields and pastures during the day before returning to urban roosts in the late afternoon.

Some crow roosts that have evolved on the outskirts of urban centers for years have simply been swallowed by increasing urbanization. However, this is not true for all roosts. Large crow roosts have taken over certain towns, including some historic downtown areas.

Why have crows changed their behavior? Mostly because we provide excellent crow habitat with plenty of food nearby. Other elements that may play a role include:

• Crows are not killed in cities.
• Tall tree groups are more abundant than in fields.
• Cities are warmer than rural places because of our structures and paving.
• Crows may feel safer from owls, their principal nocturnal predator, if artificial lighting is used.

The same roosting sites have been used for decades, if not centuries. One has been in use in New York for about 125 years. Roosts can house anywhere from a few hundred to hundreds of thousands of birds.

Crows gather in big roosts in late autumn and remain until early spring, when they return to their breeding grounds. These winter roosts can be particularly big where northern migrants supplement local crow populations. Because these birds fly south for the winter, northern regions in the United States and Canada may have big roosts only in the summer and fall. California has some year-round roosts.

People are upset about the trash and noise created by urban roosts. Droppings on walkways and automobiles are a nuisance. Crows' cawing and calling at roosts is most audible just before dawn—even on weekends.

The solutions are large crow roosts

Crows that roost in unfavorable areas can be relocated by humane harassment. The jury is yet out on when this works best, but we believe it is when roosts are just starting to form for the season, before the crows arrive. Roosts are also easier to relocate when they are first established in a new place, before the crows have spent many seasons in the same location. Begin as soon as it is evident that there will be a conflict.

Techniques are combined in successful programs. When used in tandem, one of these approaches reinforces the others in convincing crows that the roost location is dangerous:

• Crow distress calls were recorded.
• Pyrotechnics are powerful noisemakers that mimic the sound of pyrotechnics.
• Lasers intended to annoy birds.
• Hanging effigies (fake models) of dead crows—a few fake Halloween décor birds prove quite effective.

For the better part of a week, one community shifted a neighborhood roost by simply having people out on the sidewalks with noisemakers at dusk. Every night, the crows apparently did not appreciate the partying human neighbors.

Crows may be less attracted to the area if outside illumination is reduced. Turn off exterior lights, utilize lights pointing at the ground, or use a motion-activated light that only turns on when someone enters the area. While maintaining the value of mature trees, careful thinning and pruning can help to reduce crow use.

When pushed off their roost, crows usually flee to the nearest similar location. Crows will still be present in the neighborhood, but not in the disagreeable roost spot. Allow crows to roost in a stand of tall trees in the same general area as the unpleasant site and do not disturb them there so they will leave a problem site more easily.

Crows in the garden

Crows are occasionally held responsible for garden damage caused by other animals. Crows that congregate to eat insects and grubs may or may not consume fruits and vegetables. On balance, the advantages of crows eating insects, grubs, and discarded grain may exceed the disadvantages.

• Crows can be kept out of tiny gardens.
• Drape bird netting over the plants or suspend it from a framework constructed around them.
• Fabric row coverings can be used to protect seedlings.
• After the silk has turned brown, cover each ear of corn with a paper cup or bag.
• Place Mylar® streamers strategically around the garden.

Stretch cable, fishing line, or fine wire in a grid or parallel lines over gardens—at least a little higher than the gardener's hat for safety. The wire can be supported by the tomato stakes. Reflective tape or other highly visible material will assist both birds and gardeners in detecting and avoiding the lines.

We've been attempting to scare crows away for as long as they've appreciated our tasty crops and produce. What have we discovered?

• Ultrasonic sounds are inaudible to birds. Ultrasonic devices designed to drive birds away do not operate.
• Plastic owls and inflatable snakes do not fool birds for long.
• Effigies (false models) that move realistically may be useful for a short time.
• Crows avoid crow effigies (but never the genuine thing). Halloween decorations crows that are hanged upside down with their wings outstretched usually work.
• Crows can be scared away using highly reflective Mylar® tape or bird tape placed in streamers or twisted and strung to construct a temporary fence.
• Crows can be scared by devices with reflecting surfaces that spin or flap in the breeze. String aluminum pie tins or abandoned CDs around sensitive plants, or tie helium-filled Mylar party balloons around your yard.
• Crows are dispersed by playing recorded crow distress calls.
• Farmers utilize pyrotechnics and gas-powered exploders. However, unless your garden is far from neighbors, these are excessively noisy. Local governments may also limit or prohibit them.
• A garden hose equipped with a motion sensor transforms into an oscillating spray when an animal approaches. Crows will be scared at first by the unexpected spray—until they realize there is no real danger.
• All scaring devices operate best when utilized consistently, changed around to prevent crows from becoming accustomed to them, and combined with other devices.

Competitors include other backyard birds.

Crows will be drawn to food left out to attract songbirds. Backyard birdfeeders who want to attract just smaller birds can use feeders that keep larger birds out.

Crows' impact on public health

Crows became identified with West Nile virus after health officials employed them as a "indicator" species. Crows and their relatives are particularly vulnerable to this disease. Few crows survive once infected. As a result, authorities requested the people to report dead crows so that they might be notified if West Nile developed in a new region. The West Nile virus has already spread to the lower 48 states and Puerto Rico.

Unfortunately, many people have been misled into believing that crows transmit West Nile virus, which is not the case. West Nile virus is carried by mosquitos. To combat West Nile virus, health officials recommend decreasing mosquito populations and avoiding mosquito bites.

Histoplasmosis: Dropping accumulation under roosts might promote the growth of the histoplasmosis fungus in the soil. Spores can become airborne when disturbed, and people can breathe them in. The majority of people experience no adverse effects. Only a few people get lung disease, and even fewer develop disease in other organs.

In the eastern and central United States, the histoplasmosis fungus is common. As many as 80% of those examined in these locations are found to have been exposed without their knowledge.

People with this condition frequently work in areas where bird or bat droppings have collected over time (poultry farmers, contractors tearing out old buildings) or explore tunnels where bats have lived. Despite the relatively low risk of danger to humans, histoplasmosis has been used to justify murdering crows in areas where big roosts upset residents.

Why isn't poison the solution?

Crows were killed with the slow-acting toxin DRC-1339 in a few areas looking for a quick fix to crow roost annoyance. The surviving do not flee after killing birds. Because there is less rivalry for resources, it simply permits more of the next season's young to survive. Crow numbers fluctuate in the short term.

DRC-1339 kills by causing kidney and cardiac damage. Poisoned birds die gradually over one to three days. It is cruel to the crows, who are slaughtered simply for being inconvenient. In addition, the toxin may sicken or kill non-target animals. Crows store food for later use. These caches can be found and eaten by any animal, not just crows.

Crows were poisoned with the slow-acting toxin DRC-1339 in a few sites in search of a rapid solution to crow roost disturbance. After slaughtering birds, the survivors do not flee. Because there is less competition for resources, more of the next season's young survive. In the short term, crow populations vary.

DRC-1339 kills by damaging the kidneys and the heart. Poisoned birds die gradually over the course of one to three days. It is harsh to the crows, who are slain for no reason other than being inconvenient. Furthermore, the poison has the potential to sicken or kill non-target animals. Crows save food for later consumption. These caches can be discovered and consumed by any animal, not just crows.

The program successfully relocated the large downtown roost from its previous troublesome location in its first season. The crows relocated to a more industrial area, a less hazardous location. By the end of its second season, the program had relocated most of the city's crows to roosts outside of Lancaster.