The city of Galesburg will take another stab at discouraging murders of crows from roosting downtown.
Local officials have tried a number of methods over the past couple decades to evict the crows. There have been squawk boxes, crow effigies — and even the firing of special shotgun rounds to scare them off.
Now the city will hire a kettle of falcons. Seven of them to be exact, that will be deployed downtown for a month in November or December when the crows come home to Galesburg to roost.
It’s a natural approach to crow mitigation that activates a predator-prey dynamic.
“The falcons are a predator bird, and the handlers can control where these seven fly,” said City Manager Eric Hanson. “They create a deterrent that drives the crows away.
Deploying the falcons is a humane, environmentally responsible solution to the negative effects of crow overpopulation — such as their droppings thickly coating sidewalks.
“We were looking for effective ways that didn't involve weapons, loud noises, or other distractions that would obviously bring with it other concerns,” Hanson said.
So how much does it cost to hire seven falcons for a month?
The city council approved a $54,000 contact with Aviaway Bird Control Services.
The company says its abatement services are built on the natural, effective, and ancient art of falconry to rid properties of nuisance birds.
If that ancient art proves successful in modern downtown Galesburg, the city may sign on for another round.
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