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Crows are quite intelligent and once they invade a place – such as your backyard, getting rid of them might be difficult. You do not want to end up chopping trees down because it is less likely to work anyway – they will simply settle on your roof. Just like other species, crows are social and gather in groups. They share their food and look after each other. They work together to handle predators or anyone attempting to disturb them. From this point of view, learning how to keep crows away from the garden can be a bit of a challenge, but not impossible though.
On a more positive note, are crows good to have around? Do crows eat plants? Are crows bad for your yard? Are crows good for anything? A family of crows can eat dozens of thousands of caterpillars, worms and grubs over a single nesting season – most of these things are considered pests by people. Therefore, crows can make great environmental individuals that also transport seeds for plant renewal. They are great, but they can also become annoying. Cawing all the time will ruin your time outdoors. Besides, they can destroy plants and flowers or spread trash everywhere.
So, how do you get rid of those crows in the garden?
Crows can settle pretty much anywhere. They can settle in the woods or around farms. They love orchards, but they can also appreciate a suburban neighborhood. They can thrive in any habitat and they have no issues hanging around people. As urbanization and agriculture gain in space, so does the crow environment.
The high social profile of crows can be difficult to bear with, especially when they hang around urban areas. The noise they make is impossible to cope with, not to mention droppings pretty much everywhere. You see a dozen crows in a tree, so you avoid walking under that tree – it makes perfect sense. These conflicts can be sorted out in a humane matter, without actually killing the birds. The secret is to make the environment more hostile and less welcoming – simple.
What else should you know before working the crows invading your garden? Do crows eat crops? They are omnivorous, so yes they will eat your corps. Do crows eat garden plants? If they have no other options, they do eat plants. Do crows eat baby birds? Do crows steal other birds' eggs? Yes. While they are helpful for the environment in theory, they can be quite harmful in a suburban environment or anywhere humans live. So, how do you get rid of them?
Using a fake predator involves purchasing decoy. A decoy predator is a fake animal. For example, you can get a fake owl, which is a real enemy for crows. Make sure it looks realistic and its eyes are reflective. Keep in mind that crows are clever and will easily spot a fake animal. Therefore, you will need to change its position every now and then.
On the same note, you can also get a real predator to keep them out. Let your dog around the yard and it will start chasing crows away. Cats are just as good. It helps keeping an eye on them, as you do not want a bunch of dead crows in your yard. Other than that, small pets could be targeted by crows too. If you have a small dog, you better be careful.
To help with this venture, you might want to get a fake dead crow too. You can get these crows from party stores. The more realistic it looks, the better. Hang it from a branch with its head down. It is extremely distressing for crows and they will get the message – there is a predator coming after them. Therefore, the family inhabiting your backyard will fly away.
Crows – just like many other birds – dislike shiny objects. Practically, their eyes are more sensitive than yours. If you actually like seeing something sparkle, crows will hate it. This is one of the most common methods applied in the farming industry. Hang shiny objects across the yard. Sure, they may affect the overall design of your yard, but it is only a temporary solution until the birds go. You can hang anything – party strings, CDs and so on. Hang them around trees, your porch or lights. They will all word as scarecrows to protect your garden from crows.
Crows associate shiny things with danger because they see them as a weapon. The information is simply built into their brains, so they simply avoid shiny things by nature. Aluminum plates make a great choice as well. If it can reflect light, get it and plant it around. If you have many items, it will pay off having a few of them installed one next to another – this way, they will make an annoying noise whenever the wind moves them. All in all, this is one of the quickest options when not sure how to keep crows away from the garden.
Will crows eat my garden? They will if they run out of food or they find something very tasty. But before getting there, they will most likely focus on your trash. With these thoughts in mind, it is imperative to keep your yard clean and tidy. Crows are clever enough to pull lids up and find food in the bin. Garbage is a proper attraction because they can sense the food leftovers in there. Also, make sure there are no food leftovers around – food from your pets or perhaps your barbecue.
What is the best practice then? Make sure your bins are well secured. Cover them with lids and the lids should be tight. Simply covering them will not work because crows will move lids. It may also help if you placed them in a secured area, such as a locked shed. Leave them open and crows will go there like your bin is a buffet.
If you have bird feeders around, it might be a good idea to change them. The bigger, the better, as birds will not struggle to get in. But on the same note, big feeders will also allow smaller crows to find food, which is the last thing you want when not sure how to keep crows out of the garden. Invest into a small bird feeder or perhaps one of those automatic ones that close automatically when heavy birds sit on them. A wire mesh feeder may also be a great idea.
Wire mesh feeders prevent large birds from getting in and lets small birds in. Obviously, bird feeders will also come with a bit of mess. Once your regular birds are done feeding, make sure you clean up the spillage. Crows will wait for the opportunity to come over and feed too. This issue will keep bringing them over.
No trees for crows to hang around? No problem. They will choose anything else and the roof or fence will make a great opportunity. Bird spikes are classic and will prevent birds of all kinds from resting on fences or roofs. They usually come in strips, but you can also find spikes in branches. They can be installed without any professional help and they will prevent birds from landing. Crows will try to find a place to land their feet, but failing to do so will push them to another place.
Bird spikes are normally installed on top of walls, fences or roofs. Make sure they are visible as well. Crows should be able to see them before they even attempt to land – this way, they will not even come close to your garden.
An ultrasonic bird repellent will chase all birds away. If you feed other birds but you want to get rid of crows, this might be an issue. However, other birds will eventually return in the long run. There are many such devices on the market and they come in all shapes and sizes. They feature multiple scanning technologies to detect small beings like birds.
The device can detect birds like crows over long distances – different products come with different characteristics. Some of them can exceed 100 feet with their scanning capabilities. For instance, a simple repellent can easily cover 5,000 square feet. You can set various intensity levels. Once it detects movement, it will release a very high-pitched noise. The human ear may not be able to hear it, yet you can focus and still hear something. Some devices also come with strobe lights to repel crows.
More advanced devices come with multiple modes – detection mode or always on mode, for example. They can be placed outdoors and will resist all weather conditions. Birds will be able to hear such noises from a long distance due to the ultrasonic profile. However, it is important to know that ultrasonic bird repellent may also affect other animals, such as your pets. Therefore, if you have cats or dogs, the device may not be the best choice.
Crows like dirt and mess. They will choose a messy junkyard over a tidy backyard anytime. The cleaner your garden is, the less attractive it will be for crows. On the same note, the less items you have, the less curious crows will be. In other words, gardens with lots of trees, plants and decorative items may still be attractive for crows, even if they are actually clean and tidy. Once inside the garden, they will realize there is no food around, so they will go. This is their main goal – finding a source of food.
Get rid of all the trash and leave no food leftovers around. Clean your pets’ food once they are done eating and make sure the bins are tightly closed. If crows cannot find any food, they will not come back to waste their time.
Bird feeders may also be attractive. Most of them are too small for crows to get in, not to mention their large beaks. However, they can still be tempting, so you need to cover them for a while to ensure there are no temptations.
Bird netting is more diversified and comes in more sizes. It is great when trying to figure out how to keep crows away from the garden. You can use it anywhere – your garden, front yard or even house. Bird nets represent a real thread for crows. They know it means danger and they are worried about getting their feet stuck – once in there, they know they are dead.
If you are trying to find bird netting against crows, opt for four-inch netting or perhaps even something smaller. Make sure the mesh is flexible and not too tight. Larger netting might work, but crows can get out of it without too much effort, so they will no longer fear it.
If somehow a bird gets stuck in the netting, feel free to release it. It will not lose fear. It will be a traumatizing experience. It will consider itself lucky for being able to escape and it will never come back.
There have been reports of individuals being attacked by crows. These incidents however, don't occur very often. In spring time, during the breeding season, more of these birds-on-human attacks have been reported. If you think about it, that's quite comprehensible. The most logical explanation for crows attacking human beings is that they are seen as a threat to the crows' young chicks. Being protective, the crows stress levels will raise and they will try to scare the human intruder away. If you don't really challenge these birds, they will most likely leave you alone.
If you have a beloved pet like a cat or a dog, you should better watch out for crows too. There have been incidents where crows have attacked cats, dogs and chickens. Similarly to human attacks, it must be seen as a defensive attack, protecting the eggs in the nest from possible dangers. Just keep you dog and cat away from crows when you notice they show aggressive behavior.
As a short final conclusion, there are a bunch of ideas when not sure how to keep crows away from the garden. Once in, it may look like they will never go. The truth is they have managed to find a good environment for them, so they will stick to it. Make it less welcoming and more dangerous and crows will inevitably move on.
If birds already have nests and babies, you might need help from a professional. It is not ethical or humane to destroy nests and kill babies, so you might let them grow and create a dangerous environment or simply seek help from a professional. While crows are common, you might find an agency to move them without harming them.
Written by James Laverne
April 16th 2021
Hi, I'm James! With over 25 years of anti-pest experience, I am writing this blog to help you birdproof your home. Get in touch if you have any questions. Happy reading!
2226 Dennison Street
Stockton, CA 95202
209-430-1576
info@Westopbirds.com
