The crows are back in downtown Rochester, and the city is again bringing in the U.S. Department of Agriculture to convince them to move on.
It’s become an annual tradition since huge flocks, or “murders” of crows, have begun roosting in and around Washington Square Park for the winter. The city says they’re seeing the crow influx, so they’re again contracting with the USDA’s Wildlife Service to “haze” the crows.
That means using fireworks, sound from loudspeakers and sometimes laser beams to annoy the crows and persuade them to find a quieter life somewhere else. They’ll get started early in January.
City officials say the droppings and the noise from thousands of roosting crows are a nuisance and maddening to nearby residents.