Crows are a pest to gardeners because of their voracious appetite for seeds and fruits. They’re also known as the “goats of the sky” since they’ll eat almost everything, leaving a mess on your property and making a lot of noise in the process. 

However, they aren’t all bad—in a single season, a crow family can consume tens of thousands of grubs, caterpillars, and other garden pests.

Natural Ways To Get Rid of Crows

Because of crows’ intelligence, getting rid of them can be difficult, requiring the repetition of many approaches as well as maintaining your location unpleasant for crows.

Create A Unfavorable Space For Them

  • Place garbage in a secure location away from crows.

Crows may easily pull a plastic trash bag open and begin searching through your garbage. Crows can get into the trash if a small section of the bag is visible, so make sure your container isn’t overfilled.

Look for a container with a locking lid. Once a crow discovers a food supply, it will return daily to forage, thus it is critical to keep waste entirely secure.

  • All compost should be covered and contained.

Crows are omnivores who will consume any pieces of food they come across. It’s critical to keep all food waste in a secure container.

Composting is a terrific method to get rid of excess food in a sustainable fashion, however, exposed compost is particularly appealing to crows. Cover your compost or keep it enclosed in a bin to avoid attracting crows while composting food. Yard debris can be composted without attracting crows.

  • Protect your garden.

Although crows are good for gardens because they consume insects and grubs, they will occasionally take advantage of your crops. Cover your crops with a flexible bird net from your local garden or hardware store.

Crows will be kept out by a four-inch net, but smaller birds will have access to the insects in your garden. Drape the net over the crops before they begin to ripen, or suspend it above the crops with a frame erected around the garden.

Check to see if the net is secure enough to keep the crows out. This netting can also be used to cover fruit trees and plants.

  • Use bird feeders that exclude large birds.

Invest in a bird feeder that closes automatically when larger birds try to feed.

You might also use a feeder with a wire mesh that keeps crows out while allowing smaller birds in. To keep crows from rummaging near the feeder, clean up any spills every day.

  • Crow-proof nest boxes should be installed.

Crows are known to consume the hatchlings of smaller birds. If a crow discovers a nest box from which it can raise a hatchling, it will return year after year.

Removal of Nesting Areas

  • Trim dead branches from trees. 

Crows congregate in bunches and seek wide areas to roost. Crows are less likely to congregate on a leafless limb if dead branches are removed.

  • Install bird spikes on roof lines or fences.

Bird spikes are available in strips or bunches and can be simply fixed as a long-term deterrent to birds landing.

Bird spikes discourage crows from landing by making it difficult for them to establish footing.

  • On branches and other roosting locations, apply transparent bird gel.

Bird gels are available at your local hardware store or online.

Bird gel is a non-toxic sticky solution that, unlike bird spikes, does not detract from the natural appearance of windows or trees. Crows will avoid your yard as a nesting place because the sticky gel makes the surface uncomfortable for them.

  • Outdoor lights should be reduced.

At night, crows cluster in well-lit locations. Crows will be less attracted to your place if you reduce your outdoor lighting.

  • Early in the winter, deal with the crows.

Crows are migratory birds that select roosting sites in the early winter. Disrupt their habits by speaking to the birds as soon as they arrive, so they don’t spend the entire winter with you.

  • Just before dusk, startle the crows.

Crows will not stay the night in your yard if you scare them away in the evening. A crow will seek a safe area to spend the evening, and startling them right before nightfall will cause them to look elsewhere.

Scare Them Away

Decoys

Hang spooky crow Halloween decorations with their wings stretched out upside down. Crows will beat it because they believe these are their deceased kin.

Shiny Stuff

Set out colorful, sparkling Mylar balloons and ribbons that will glisten in the sunlight and blow in the breeze. 

Alternatively, build homemade wind chimes out of old CDs and/or cheap cutlery and hang them from tree branches around your house. 

What is the benefit of the latter method? Crows are deterred by rattling and clanging sounds as well as reflected light.

Signals Of Distress 

To keep crows at bay, play recorded distress sounds of other crows. Noisemakers and fireworks sounds are also deterrents.

Just remember to be considerate: let your close neighbors in on your noisy battle plan and the time your noisemaking to be the least bothersome.

Final Words…

Your garden can flourish now that you’ve expelled these cunning, unpleasant visitors—and that’s something to be proud of.

Remember that in case you don’t want or simply you don’t have enough time to deal with the unwanted visitors to your garden, you can always call and hire a pest control service.

 

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