Crows are extremely intelligent and resourceful birds, although for some people they are quite annoying. They are skilled and quickly learn new skills, such as opening a bag to get food and making ornaments from twigs and leaves. Crows are social animals and move in groups to hunt for food; so when you see one, there are most likely others nearby. Since they are intelligent, it is not easy to get rid of them and you may need to use various techniques to discourage them from settling on your property.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Creating an Unfavorable Environment
Step 1. Put the litter in a safe place, out of reach of the crows
These birds can easily break plastic bags and start rummaging in garbage. Make sure the bin is not too full, or the crows may reach any remaining bags on top. Look for a container that has a good airtight lid. When these birds find a source of food, they come back every day to eat, so it's important to always close the trash cans completely.
- Tightly cover all garbage pails.
- Attach the handles to poles stuck in the ground to prevent the bins from tipping over.
Step 2. Cover and enclose all the compost
Crows are omnivores and eat whatever scraps of food they can find. You need to make sure that all organic leftovers are securely covered. Composting is a great way to sustainably recover any leftover food, but when exposed to sight, it attracts crows. If you want to prevent these birds from getting too close to your property, you need to be sure to put all food waste tightly closed in a bin. You can always make compost from garden waste, which doesn't attract crows.
Step 3. Protect the garden
While crows can sometimes prove useful because they eat insects and larvae, in other cases they eat the same vegetables. Put a flexible net over your crops, this is available at a garden center or hardware store. A 10cm mesh netting keeps crows away, while allowing other smaller birds to reach for vegetables and eat insects. Place the net over your crops or make a frame that can hang it over the garden. Make sure it is stable and that the crows cannot get over it. If you want, you could also place a net over the fruit trees and bushes.
Step 4. Use bird feeders that cannot be used by large birds
Purchase a feeder that automatically closes when birds that are too heavy lean on it in an attempt to eat. Always clean up any feed that falls around it, so that crows are not attracted.
Step 5. Install raven-proof nests
These animals sometimes eat the pups of other smaller birds. If a crow finds a nest from which it can catch a cub, it will likely come back every year to do the same thing.
- Make sure the bottom of each nest you set up is at least six inches from the entrance hole.
- Remove any perches or ledges under the access hole so that the crow has nowhere to stop while waiting for a chick to lean out of the nest.
Part 2 of 3: Eliminating Nesting Areas
Step 1. Cut the dead branches of the trees
Crows congregate in groups and seek out open spaces to perch. By removing old dead branches you prevent a large number of these birds from settling on them.
Step 2. Install bollards on the edges of the roof or fences
These are awls fixed on strips or plates that are easy to install and prevent crows from landing. This way the birds don't "land" on your property, because they don't have a place to perch.
Step 3. Use a clear gel to apply to branches or other areas where they can land
You can buy it in hardware stores or even online. It is a non-toxic sticky substance that does not alter the natural appearance of trees or windows like bollards do. This gel creates an awkward surface to land on, so crows are discouraged from settling and nesting in your garden.
Step 4. Dim the lights outside
Crows tend to congregate in bright areas at night. By dimming or eliminating some lights outside your home, you can make the environment less inviting.
Step 5. Face the arrival of the crows in early winter
These are migratory birds and usually choose a place to settle in the first phase of the cold season. Try to break their habits by dealing with them as soon as they arrive, so they won't "take up residence" in your home in the cold months.
Step 6. Disturb them just before sunset
Scare them off in the evening to prevent them from spending the night in your garden. A crow always looks for a safe place to spend the hours of darkness; frightening him at this stage of the day he is likely to decide to settle elsewhere.
Part 3 of 3: Scaring the Ravens
Step 1. Use fake animals as a deterrent
Hang faux crows (such as those sold at Halloween) upside down, with their wings outstretched. These animals avoid getting close to their dead fellows. You can also try using virginia owls or fake snakes, but these tricks will only keep crows away for a short time. They will soon understand the characteristics of mechanical animals and will recognize that they are not real.
Step 2. Point a laser beam at the crows
This type of light disturbs them and prevents them from perching, at least temporarily - the birds will be back shortly. It is believed that after a continuous and systematic disturbance, these animals leave the area all together.
Step 3. Scare them with reflective objects distributed throughout the property
These birds are afraid of shiny objects that move. You can purchase specific adhesive tape designed just as a visual deterrent against ravens. Hang shiny streamers on poles throughout the garden or create a fence by twisting these ribbons together and tying them around the perimeter of your property. Move the streamers periodically, to make them appear as a constant threat to the ravens' eyes. Here are other ideas for reflective "bollards":
- Reflective tape;
- Old CDs hung vertically with a string;
- Disposable aluminum trays. Use any object that reflects the light to chase away the crows.
Step 4. Make loud noises to scare them
Crows dislike noises like explosions, bangs, and alarms; these are all effective solutions, but sometimes impractical for those who live in the city. Whenever you see a crow, make a noise to "teach" it to stay away. Use an audio recording with noises emitted by the predators of these birds or the calls emitted by crows in distress. You can find them online and at bird population control companies. Try these sound devices to keep them at bay:
- Firecrackers;
- Calls of crows in distress;
- Verses of predators such as hawks and owls;
- Air horns.
Advice
- Make your garden unwelcoming before the crows arrive to make sure you don't have a problem with these birds.
- Use different methods to scare them.
- Change the order in which you use the techniques to scare the crows, otherwise they will eventually learn that it is not a real threat.
- Check with your local veterinary ASL or forest policy office for more details about the raven population.
Warnings
- Most fake animals are only effective for a limited time. When crows recognize that they are not real, they are no longer frightened.
- In many countries, shooting crows is a crime. For this reason, if you are considering doing it, you should first check the city and regional regulations, to be sure you do not run into penalties or complaints.
- On the market you can find products that claim to scare crows by emitting ultrasounds. Birds are not sensitive to this type of sound wavelength and therefore these devices are completely ineffective.
