How feasible is it to get rid of crows with the current laws?

Aphew

Before going deeper into all the information on here I would really appreciate a quick advice on this.

I live between 2 farms and for some reason, I didn't notice or I didn't realise or the previous owner did something to keep the crows away somehow but I ended up buying a property COVERED in crows. When I say covered I mean hundreds. Not all the time and not all of them at the same time but it gets really bad during the morning and evening. Honestly, I'm not exaggerating when I say sometimes the visible sky is cover with crows, I actually think I should have recorded.

They **** all over the roof, the cars, while we are out in the garden... Which causes me a lot of stress. I actually feel embarrassed of inviting nobody to my house because of the noise and the dirt. They do that shite sound all of the time, leave the garden full of feathers and is causing me loses because they **** over the solar panels and cause them not to work properly.

First thing I learned reading here is that they are actually Rooks which apparently are even more protected by the law recently.

I genuinely don't want to kill them but I don't know what to do. I have a little kid and I wouldn't like guns in the house but I don't know how else can I get rid of them.

I tried an airsoft gun but that doesn't even tickle them, if I ever get them, which is quite difficult.

Do you know of any other way to get rid of it? If the gun is the only option, would it be difficult or impossible to get a licence? Even if I did get a licence, it wouldn't look good if people found me shooting birds in my garden. Is there a gun I can get that doesn't make a lot of noise or can I silence it somehow?

Cheers I appreciate any help because I'm desperate at this stage

Asus1

It sounds like they have a rookery near by as you say they are worst at early morning and evening,so they are heading off in morning to feed and coming back in the evening to roost.Unless you own the tree they're nesting in I doubt there's much you can do and even if you did I don't know is it illegal to cut down a tree with a rookery in it.

There will be a lot of young out now so maybe as they get bigger and find new nesting areas for themselves the numbers might come down,other than that I think you're stuck

TheEngineer1

You can apply for a derogation license to shoot protected birds for species and circumstances not covered by the general derogation. I know this because some angling clubs near me have gotten these licenses to shoot cormorants to protect trout stocks.

In your case OP, they are causing damage to your property by causing your solar panels to malfunction and are directly impacting your quality of sleep and life due to the sheer amount of rook activity so I would think you would have no issue getting one of these licenses. If you go to the NPWS licenses section there's a derogation option, I think that is the form. Email the NPWS to be sure and they'll give you the correct form.

Make your case and tell them how many you want to shoot. I can't see there being any issue with getting this. You can then use this to apply for a gun to shoot them. If you would rather not get a gun yourself, you can nominate someone else to shoot them on your behalf on the application form.

Aphew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120667112#Comment_120667112

Thanks a million for giving me a bit of hope!! it is such a relief to know that there is a way to do something.

I don't know exactly how many I have to shoot, but I will tell them that I want to do the minimum necessary to live in peace.

Would you ask them what time of day it would be best to shoot them so as not to alarm the neighbours, or would that be a red flag for them?

I know how to shoot because I've been in the military, but never at an animal and never in "urban" areas.

Is the licence valid for a certain period of time or until the problem is solved? As in: 6 months or until the problem is solved, whatever comes first

youtheman

You could try 'dissuade' then from gathering near you property. String some fishing line across the general area. If birds fly into something then can't see then that really wrecks their heads and they might just bugger off somewhere else.

bb12

crows are just a little bit more annoying at the moment because the young have fledged but the parents are still feeding them...the young are particularly loud as they are begging and calling to their parents for food while the parents are trying to teach them to fend for themselves...they'll all feck off with themselves soon enough

snickers

I don’t know much about your problem but my neighbour throws bread out for birds and they **** everywhere so I can only imagine what you must be going through is a nightmare but I do know farmers use something called a crow banger as far as I know it mimics the sound of a gunshot might be worth looking into good luck with it .

Eoinbmw

Is the nest too established for the use of a Falconry ?

Grizzly 45

You really have a problem! Crows and Corvids in general are probably THE smartest bird groups out there. They know how to improvise tools, can count, recognise human faces and those that have harmed them,pair for life,and are excellent mimics of different sounds,and even how to use human technology to their advantage. Plenty of documented cases of crows dropping hard-shelled food onto roads before traffic lights and waiting for the traffic to crush it and return at the next red light to collect it. If you don't want to shoot them,or cant get someone to do the job. You can try...

Their two weaknesses are, they can't stand birds of prey like owls or hawks and are very protective of their young. So even if you can't shoot them,you could try contacting a falconer to come over and fly their [preferably a buzzard,as buzzards have crows as one of their main prey species],around your area.Next,get an owl decoy, the bigger the better and get it situated someplace high to make it look like a threat to the crows colony.For your solar panels, you can get a decoy hawk that is put on a high spring pole that will keep them out of the area of the panels.How long it lasts depends on how aggressive your crows are. Finally once nesting season is over, you can if possible,trim the trees back and take out the branches where they build their nests.If they haven't a specific type of branch on a tree,they wont use the tree as a nesting tree next year.

Aphew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120670964#Comment_120670964

The fishing line wouldn't be really effective. They are established in 2 trees and they flight fairly high the majority of the time. Also I don't want to f*** up the other small birds or wood pigeons around.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120670978#Comment_120670978

This is not just now, it has been happening during the winter, their **** was just wash away with the rain and I wouldn't go much to the garden.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120670989#Comment_120670989

I wonder where can I get those bangers and how effective they are or if they are illegal...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120671022#Comment_120671022

Never heard of the falconry but I reckon this must cost a fortune. If we have to wait until the falcon gets rid of all of them, it would end up weighting 200kg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120671847#Comment_120671847

I know they are bastards... I thought of putting a powerful and bright light under their tree and activate it every hour during the night so can scare the **** out of them and wake them put. Also someone mentioned bangers but I think that would disturb neighbours as well (during the night).

I knew about the trees but I asked around and that would be €2k each tree.. I cannot pay that.

TheEngineer1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120670947#Comment_120670947

If you give the NPWS an idea of how many you think there, you can then justify shooting x amount. If there's like 300 birds then you could probably shoot 50 of them without much trouble. The others might get the message to feck off. If they're still causing trouble then you can apply for another one. Just make your case again.

You can shoot them any time I guess, maybe the evening as they're coming back to roost might be best. I would notify any neighbours living within 500 meters of you just so they know what's going on.

With regards the license you are correct. You can put down a time period and a number of birds to cull. For example you can say 50 birds between June and September or whatever etc. Yes whichever comes first then, the time period being up or you reaching your cull target.

I think they can be actually got on a section 42 license. Google it and it should show up on the NPWS website

Baasterd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058298762/how-feasible-is-it-to-get-rid-of-crows-with-the-current-laws

The irony here is back in the day children used to go Rooking with small Rook guns 🙂 rather than worry about guns in the house maybe get the little one to help out 😊

greasepalm

This is a guy in UK shooting pests ,birds , rabbits , rats when there is a pest issue.

I dont know what rules are in Ireland.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044833547166

kunekunesika

You're between 2 farms, but in an urban area?

Am I missing something?

BorneTobyWilde

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6I04j4kwmo&t=21s

Could try an Eagle kite

BorneTobyWilde

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoIIHrWnEFo

..

thelurcher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120671847#Comment_120671847

Are crows really one of a Buzzards main prey species here in Ireland? There’s an absolutely massive rookery near me and I’ve never seen the Buzzards near it. There’s no shortage of them here and a day doesn’t go by that I don’t see them on poles along the road - also patrolling the main roads in numbers. Rats and young rabbits are mainly what I’ve seen them with. Seen one take a pigeon but it was an ‘ambush’ in a disused railway line where the pigeon was drinking.

Never seen them take another bird in flight. Knew a few people over the years well into their hawks and they said they generally don’t do it.

That said I can’t see why they couldn’t and there are plenty of clips showing it - just strange how I’ve seen so many buzzards with a catch and it’s only been another bird once. May well be easier options for them around here.

I’m far from an expert! But flying hawks once or twice over the rookery won’t get rid of them. Same people I mentioned above had contracts on airfields and dumps here and the UK and you need to fly them very regularly. I’d imagine they’d leave a food source easier than the rookery?

I’m fascinated by crows - like you say they are seriously smart - but not being allowed to control the numbers by shooting them is ridiculous. When they’re nesting then grand - but any other time they should be fair game.

Birdnuts

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120706961#Comment_120706961

They do snack on young Brancher Rooks quiet alot - as do Kites

Grizzly 45

Buzzards are opportunistic all-rounders.They will kill live quarry and also eat carrion which explains why they are prolific. They will take crows but them going on a single attack in a rookery won't happen unless they are desperate, as the crows will simply mob the buzzard in the air. More than a match for them is the Grey-hooded crows. Was watching a pair of greys driving our local buzzard out of their airspace yesterday. So you would have to have the buzzard coming in regularly and keep a hawk kite up as well. The crows might decide it isn't worth the hassle anymore and move on.

Pity we don't do Rook shooting anymore like in the UK, as the young rooks were a source of meat too for people back then.[It tastes like chicken too!], and this gave us some lovely little single-shot rifles called Rook rifles, in some interesting and obscure 22 calibres.

Esel

Can you get a helium-filled buzzard? A kite (not the bird 😀) needs wind to stay up.

mockler007

A bird of prey would probably be better than shooting them. The sheer presence of a bird of prey would keep them on edge, squirrels are meant to be good to go for crows eggs according to a few articles.

Aphew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120680699#Comment_120680699

It is a really small village so there are 2 farms but there are other people too that would be less familiarised with these methods.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120680727#Comment_120680727

I'll do. I'm raging because they are stupidly expensive. It is literally a bit of plastic and still...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120706961#Comment_120706961

As you say, I don't think kettles, buzzards and owls are the definitive answer. I think they help but not the solution.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120708949#Comment_120708949

It is funny you say that they are edible and then have this under "Confucius say."He who says one man cannot change World. Never has eaten bat soup in Wuhan!" 😂

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120710905#Comment_120710905

That's a really good call... I'll look it up in aliexpress as the ones here are literally selling that but more expensive.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120793853#Comment_120793853

Oh I wish I could bring squirrels. I've never seen one around here.

Looking for solutions I bumped into this "Bird Gard™ Pro – Bird Scarer" (I cannot post link but if you google it, it will come up)

What do ye think? Gimmicky or effective?

thelurcher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120793853#Comment_120793853

A bird of prey would not be better than shooting them! Shot dead beats 'on edge' any day for problem birds.

Have a look at the contract here for bird control services at a dump and what's involved - also the facilities that need to be provided for whatever they use. As I said I'd imagine the crows wouldn't give up a rookery any easier than a food source.

https://www.rdn.bc.ca/dms/documents/requests-for-proposal/bird-control-services/rdn_landfill_bird_control_services_rfp.pdf

J.R.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120798319#Comment_120798319

Looking for solutions I bumped into this "Bird Gard™ Pro – Bird Scarer" (I cannot post link but if you google it, it will come up)

What do ye think? Gimmicky or effective?

Never heard of them.....but they are fairly expensive....you'd want to be sure they would work for those prices.

https://www.vogelabwehr.de/en/shop/articles/K/K-03.php

mockler007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804109#Comment_120804109

Bit long to be reading a 36 page pdf on crows in a BC dump.

Shooting them will have an impact over a few weeks. Especially if there's 100s of them, but they will still come back.

Crows hate lod noises and Shiney things, birds of prey and squirrels. Squirrels might be difficult.

It's getting them to not come back is probably the best solution. Natural predators. Crows are intelligent, so they need to not feel safe to not nest. That's why they nest high up in trees.

Could always chop down the most offending tree too. Put netting on the roof with the solar.

Could also put sensors in busy perch areas too that will activate with loud noise when activated.

If all that fails, get a cat, attach it to a drone and fly after the crows.

mockler007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120670947#Comment_120670947

Have you tried Airsoft but metal targets that make noise where they normally perch? Airsoft won't do anything to birds as BBS to light. You'd probably go mad to, running out with a rif everytime a crow trolls you.

thelurcher

36 pages - that’s my point. It’s not a case of flying a hawk a few times a week. To keep them away you’d need someone there long term - multiple birds multiple hours and multiple days a week.

The farmer next door had the bird scarer going in the sheds last year. Birds didn’t seem to take a tack of notice. It’s not on this year - the birds don’t care but I do as it was an annoying fecking thing.

PMU

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120671022#Comment_120671022

I had the same problem until a buzzard moved into the area ; he loves crow meat

Feisar

There are ultra sonic crow repellents, would they do any good in the rookery?

Chiparus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120840515#Comment_120840515

They tried it in a hotel/golf course where I live- it did not work, nothing did, shooting had to stop as local walkers complained.

A green laser is good to keep them moving along , but they come back.

Aphew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120804109#Comment_120804109

Isn't that for Canada?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120805194#Comment_120805194

I found them for 200 euro. Definitely there is a lot of rip off around this.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120808587#Comment_120808587

I tried doing sounds and they move around a couple of times until they realise it is not dangerous and they don't give a toss anymore.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120840515#Comment_120840515

I think all the ultra sound thing is a gimmick. I bought this 2 things though.

https://www.aliexpress. com/item/1005005780545116.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.6ed838dakQl35D&mp=1

and something similar to this with a sensor: https://www.aliexpress. com/item/1005005814530302.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.13.78c657f42bJzin&algo_pvid=c9f2b98f-4e04-4ed2-8984-8ee2b15dc790&algo_exp_id=c9f2b98f-4e04-4ed2-8984-8ee2b15dc790-6&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21EUR%2138.82%2113.59%21%21%2141.65%21%21%4021038edf16907361885034906e8da7%2112000034445031764%21sea%21IE%210&curPageLogUid=9PJ2tjtK2MTW

So when they are gathering branches to nest they get scared

Also, be careful with this kind of things:

https://radiofence. ie/product/swoop-hawk-kite-bird-scarer/ 60 quid here and I bought it in Aliexpress for 41 cents and surely they are the same.

Kilough

Hi OP - just wondering if you ever found a way of getting rid of that rookery?

Currently building a house on a site and have a rookery across 5 or 6 trees located adjacent to the site and on both next door neighbours back gardens. They seem to fly between the trees and make an absolute racket. Spent half a day working on site last week and had a pain in my head leaving with the noise. Every tradesman that's been to site has commented on the noise. Sh1tting all over the laneway too. Actually saw one of the neighbours feeding them bread a few evenings ago, was like a scene a Hitchcock movie.

Anybody actually managed to get rid of an established rookery? Don't want to go shooting birds in my new neighbour's back garden. Obviously can't cut down their trees either. Could try a hawk kite but wanted to hear some reviews first. Also could try a larson trap but there look to be 1000's of them so not sure that's really practical either.