Trenton to combat crow poop with pyrotechnics
TRENTON » The capital city will be pulling out all the stops this year to fight crow feces covering the streets.
In coordination with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Wildlife Services personnel, Trenton police will be conducting crow dispersal activities at stateand city-owned properties, Lt. Stephen Varn announced Tuesday in a press release.
The methods will include pyrotechnics, lasers, spotlights, amplified recordings of crow distress calls and crow effigies. The efforts started on Monday and are expected to last two weeks from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. for up to five consecutive nights and can continue periodically through the end of March, police said.
“During the months of October through March, crows roost communally in the tens of thousands in downtown Trenton,” Varn said. “Noise and accumulation of feces from this large winter roost is not only a nuisance, it causes property damage and incurs significant financial costs for clean-up. The excessive amount of fecal material also causes a concern for human health with increased disease risks, such as histoplasmosis.”
The Trentonian first reported last February how the messy problem was negatively impacting the city in the downtown corridor.
Why the birds flock to Trenton every night remains a mystery.
But a DEP source with knowledge of the situation said the city’s close proximity to the Waste Management landfill in Falls Township, Pa. across the Delaware River, which is an unlimited source of food, makes Trenton an ideal place to roost. Once spring hits, the birds travel up the tributaries of the Delaware River before settling back to Trenton in the fall and winter, the source said.
Police warned that several of the crow deterrent methods used to frighten the birds may produce loud noises and flashing lights similar to sirens and fireworks.
Wildlife Services personnel will be in vehicles with flashing amber beacons and agency door logos. The agency’s staff will be dressed in USDA reflective vests, police said.
“The goal of this wildlife management project is to break up the large crow roost in Trenton into smaller, less concentrated flocks that will cause fewer problems,” Varn said. “The public may assist in this dispersal by properly disposing all food waste and keeping trash inaccessible to wildlife.”
Residents can report the sightings of a large flock of crows to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Wildlife Services at 908-735-5654 ext. 17. People can also call the number for questions, comments or concerns.