How to Get Rid of Crows

Crows are incredibly intelligent and resourceful birds, but they can be quite a nuisance for many people. These clever creatures can quickly learn new tricks, like opening bags to retrieve food or fashioning tools from twigs and leaves. They also tend to live in flocks, often wandering around and rummaging through homes. Therefore, if you spot one crow, there are likely more nearby. Their intelligence makes it a challenging task to drive them away, requiring the use of multiple strategies to prevent your yard from becoming an attraction for them.

Seal your trash bins tightly to prevent crows from accessing them. Crows can easily tear open trash bags and rummage through them. Make sure your trash cans are not overflowing, as crows may find a way to access even a small opening. Opt for bins with secure lids that can be fastened. Once crows discover a food source, they will return daily to scavenge, so it's essential to keep your trash sealed tightly.

• Close and secure the lids of all trash bins.
• Anchor the trash bin handles to stakes in the ground to prevent tipping.

Cover and compost in a sealed bin. Crows are omnivores and will eat any scraps of food they find, so it's crucial to keep all food waste tightly sealed. Composting is a great way to manage leftover food, but leaving the compost heap exposed will attract crows. To prevent crows from being drawn to it, either cover the compost pile or use a sealed bin. You can compost garden straw without worrying about attracting crows.

Protect your garden. While crows can be helpful to gardens by eating insects and pests, they sometimes damage fruits and plants. You can purchase soft bird netting at a garden center or hardware store to cover your garden plants. A net with 10 cm holes will keep crows out, but still allow smaller birds to catch insects. Before the fruit starts ripening, drape the net over the plants or around a protective frame around your garden. Make sure the net is secure to prevent crows from entering. You can also cover fruit trees and bushes with netting.

Use large bird feeders designed to deter crows. Consider buying a bird feeder that automatically closes when larger birds attempt to feed. You can also try using a feeder with wire mesh that crows cannot access, but smaller birds can still feed. Remember to clean up any spilled food around the feeder each day to prevent attracting crows.

Install crow-proof bird nests. Sometimes crows will eat the young birds from nests of smaller species. If crows find a nest they can access, they will return each year to do the same.

• Ensure that all bird nests have a bottom depth of at least 15 cm from the entrance.
• Remove perches or ledges below the nest entrance so crows cannot rest and watch for young birds poking their heads out.

Trim dead branches. Crows typically gather in flocks and seek out spacious areas to roost. Removing dead branches will prevent them from congregating in large numbers on bare tree limbs.

Install bird spikes on rooftops or fences. Bird spikes come in strips or clusters and can be easily installed for long-term use to deter birds. Crows will have no place to land because they won’t be able to find a suitable perch.

Apply clear bird repellent gel on branches and areas where crows frequently perch. Bird repellent gel can be found at home improvement stores or online. This non-toxic, sticky substance won’t damage the appearance of windows or trees like spikes can. The gel makes surfaces uncomfortable for crows, preventing them from nesting.

Reduce outdoor lighting. Crows are attracted to brightly lit areas at night. Dimming the lights will make your property less appealing to them.

Take action early when crows arrive at the start of winter. Crows are migratory birds and typically choose their roosting spots early in the winter. Disrupting this habit when they first appear will prevent them from taking over your yard for the entire winter.

Chase away the crows just before sunset. It’s best to scare off the crows in the evening to prevent them from staying in your yard overnight. Crows seek safe places to sleep, and if you chase them away before dark, they will look for somewhere else to roost.

Use decoy animals to scare crows. You can buy a fake crow from a Halloween store and hang it upside down with its wings spread. The crows will avoid the decoy, thinking it’s a dead crow. You can also use a fake owl or snake, but these decoys will only work temporarily. Eventually, the crows will figure out that the animals are not real.

Shine a laser beam at the crows. At first, the laser will cause the crows to scatter, but they might return soon after. It’s believed that after a while of disturbance, the crows will begin to avoid the area altogether.

Scare away crows by hanging reflective objects around your house. Crows are often scared of moving shiny objects. You can find bird deterrent tape designed to frighten crows with its visual effect. Hang shiny strips on poles around your yard, or create a fence by twisting the strips together and hanging them between posts along the perimeter. Occasionally move the tape around so the crows don’t get used to it. You can also try using other reflective items, such as:

• Shiny reflective tape
• Old CDs hung on strings
• Aluminum baking pans. Anything shiny hung in your yard can help keep the crows away.

Make loud noises to scare off crows. Crows dislike sounds such as explosions, loud bangs, and alarm noises. While effective, this method may not be suitable in urban settings. Every time you spot a crow, make a loud noise to train them to stay away. Playing recordings of predator sounds or crow distress calls can also deter them. You can find crow repelling sounds from bird control companies online. Here are some noise sources to try:

• Fireworks
• Recording of a crow distress call
• Recording of predator sounds like owls or hawks
• Airhorns