Crows are extremely alert and intelligent birds, and they can learn from their mistakes. These features make them very resilient creatures which means they are very hard to get rid of as well.
If you want to know how to get rid of crows, then you are in the right place.
Crows cawing non-stop can be disturbing. They can also destroy crops, fruits, flowers, and anything that comes into their way.
The issue of how to keep crows out of the garden is serious, and it needs to be resolved.
1. Use an Ultrasonic Bird and Pest Repeller
And speaking of pests, you can use an ultrasonic pest repeller to get rid of the crows with ease. Broox Ultrasonic Bird Repeller is a good device to consider in how to repel birds as it features triple scanning technology.
This device can detect any unwanted birds, including crows that are up to 82 feet away. The crow repellent can cover up to 6000 square feet, and with high intensity, it can cover up to 7000 square feet. It can start the strobe lights and sound to repel the birds.
There are three different adjustable modes in this device; always off mode, detection mode, and always-on mode. This device is fully resistant to water. Crows will stay away because of the lights and sounds that this device can produce. And as these sounds are ultrasonic, birds will be able to hear it pretty loud from a distance.
2. Use Decoys or Real Crow Predators
How to scare birds away using decoy is simple. If you are thinking about how to get rid of birds like crows, then your best option here is to use a decoy predator to scare these crows away. You can hang a fake owl to scare birds within your yard. But try to change the positions of your decoy because crows are very intelligent, and they will spot the fake animal in the yard.
Therefore, go for real animals like your cats or dogs and leave them in your backyard. You can also use a fake dead crow for this purpose. Hang it somewhere upside down where it can move slightly with the wind and create a real effect.
The real crows will find this fake upside down to crow so disturbing that they will never return. They consider it to be some kind of danger. Go for a realistic fake crow at any of those party stores. Tie a string to its feet and hang where crows pay frequent visits.
3. Install Bird Spikes on Fences and Roof Lines
Perhaps, you have decided not to get rid of those nesting areas in the fear that you will harm other birds. Well, no issues at all because there are various other ways to get rid of those crows.
One of the effective methods is to use bird spikes. These spikes come in branches or strips, and you can easily install them as your permanent bird landing and crow deterrent.
These bird spikes will eradicate those areas where crows can land. They won’t be able to find a place where they can set their feet. And ultimately, it will prevent them from landing in your yard.
You can also install these bird spikes on top of the walls and anywhere else. Just make sure that they are visible to the crows. When they see these spikes, they won’t dare to land in your yard and begin to stay away from it for good.
4. Make High Sounds and Noises
Crows tend to get very nervous by seeing fake dead crows and they are afraid of any distress signals from other crows. Therefore, you can play any distress calls from other crows and keep the annoying birds away from your yard for good. Apart from that, you can also go for different noisemakers or fireworks sounds to repel these birds.
But make sure that you are considerate of your neighbors. Let them know that you are trying to fend off these birds from making such noises. Make sure to schedule your noisy plan and don’t be disruptive.
YouTube can be a good help in this regard. You can find several different sounds that you can use to drive these birds away. Moreover, you can play the sounds of killer birds or predators as well.
You can use your Bluetooth speakers for this purpose. But again, the nearby crows can hear your noise and your neighbors don’t get disturbed by your noisy battle.
5. Use Motion-Sensor Sprinklers
One of the best methods to keep the crows at bay is to use the motion-activated sensors. You can conveniently keep different pests, insects, animals as well as birds away from your yard with these sprinklers.
A water sprinkler works by sprinkling water right towards any moving thing that it has detected through its motion sensor. This sprinkler has two different modes to detect based on the time of day.
You can use Orbit 62100 for this purpose. It responds to any motion that the sensor detects and shoots water to keep them away. The water spray is absolutely harmless but irritating enough to the intruder.
This sensor can also detect day and night time, and it can cover a range of 3840 square feet when you have set it to cover the entire circle. It can spray at a distance of 70 feet.
6. Use Feeders That Exclude Large Birds
Like we said before, you need to go for the bird feeders that are not designed to feed large. It is better for you to invest in a bird feeder that can close automatically when larger birds with more weight sit on them and try to feed. You can also go for a wire mesh feeder.
Such a feeder excludes birds like crows and only allows the smaller birds to enter. Clean up the daily spillage after the smaller birds are done feeding.
Crows can be waiting for this opportunity to land as soon as the little birds are done feeding. And this will keep bringing them back to your yard. Prevent these birds from eating around the bird feeder, and you will get rid of crows in no time.
7. Always Cover Your Garbage
Just like we have mentioned above, make sure to keep your yard clean. These crows don’t need to find any food items lying there. Even garbage is a huge attraction for them, so cover your trash properly.
The best practice here is to use garbage cans with tight lids. Also, place them in a very secure area.
If you leave them open, crows will come ready for the buffet! It is one of the effective ways in how to repel birds like crows.
If your pets or stray dogs or even raccoons turn up and leave the receptacles turned upside down at night, then in the following morning, these birds will be ready to take on the smorgasbord. It is better to get rid of the trash as soon as possible. Make sure that you don’t provide these birds with any chances to visit your yard with any food traces.
8. Use Bird Netting
Another way of Bird netting can be a very useful tool for you to use against the crows. You can use bird netting to scare crows away from your garden or even your house. Bird nets pose a threat to these birds. They sense danger because they fear getting stuck into this net and end up dead.
Therefore, if you are looking to use bird netting to fend these crows off, then choose four-inch netting or something even smaller. The mesh needs to be flexible to make sure that crows remain at bay from it.
Don’t go for the larger netting because crows will be able to get their talons out of it, and they will lose the fear. Smaller mesh nets work better because crows think that they won’t be able to get their talons free from this type of netting. You can use it anywhere you like: lying on the ground or hanging from the roof in your patio.
9. Remove Those Nesting Areas
Now it’s not just about preventing these crows from foraging in your yard. You also need to get rid of their nesting areas too. Get rid of those dead branches from the nearby trees. Crows tend to gather in groups, and they try to look for the most suitable places where they can roost.
If you remove these dead branches from the nearby trees, large numbers of these crows won’t converge to these trees, and they will look for them another place. However, you need to keep in mind that by removing these branches, you are also getting rid of any of those potential nesting locations for other birds as well.
And most of them will be the ones for whom you have set that bird feeder. So you need to closely assess the situation here whether you need to get rid of these branches or not.
10. Remove All Food and Water Sources
If there is no food source in your area, there is no compelling reason for the crows to be around. And if they are around, then you can be sure that they have found some water and food source for themselves to thrive.
Now, you need to get rid of all the things that these crows consider edible. There shouldn’t be any bird feeders or birdbaths around. No cat or dog kibble or any of those water dishes should be around.
And again, make sure to keep the trachea under tight lids. Don’t let any trash lying around in the garbage bags. Crows can easily tear open these plastic bags, and they will create a mess. Unfortunately, crows can eat compost.
Therefore, you should either cover this stuff up or bury such items under the grass or leaf clippings. Keep a close eye on their food source. You might end up cutting or reducing those fruit trees and berry bushes as well.
11. Keep Your Yard Clean
Crows are attracted to dirty places in any manner. Clean your place up and make it less attractive for these birds. It is another clever way of how to keep the crows away. Crows are always in search of food, and they don’t care what it is.
So you have to get rid of any garbage in your space as well as any of those small or large bits of food lying around.
They move from one place to another in search of food, and if at one place they can’t find anything to eat, they won’t come back and waste their time.
Also, keep those bird feeders under the cover, so these crows don’t even think about changing their luck. These bird feeders are too small for their beaks to feed, but you must eliminate any chances to make the 100% sure that they will not get anything to eat from your yard.
12. Hang Something Shiny Throughout Your Yard
Crows are not a huge fan of any shiny objects (1). Therefore, a tried and tested method of how to get rid of blackbirds is to hang shiny objects in your yard. These shiny objects might include anything ranging from CDs or those party strings. Anything that shines will work.
They think it is some kind of a weapon which is dangerous. This information is built into their brains, and they get nervous when they see something shiny. Therefore, you can hang those lustering aluminum plates as well.
And if you hang these CDs or plates close to each other so that they can produce noise, the results will be even better. If these shiny objects are in abundance, you will see no crow will ever think about entering your yard. Many people use this technique to get rid of crows in no time.
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I just moved to a new house 5 weeks ago, and ever since I’ve been trying to get squirrels to get nuts from my feeders. Now that nuts have finally disappeared, I realized it was crows and not my squirrel friends. I hate crows now; they are ugly and despicable. How do I attract squirrels to the feeders while deterring crows?
Please don’t! You just don’t know what problems you will unintentionally bring to you & your neighbors! You could be the reason their house burns down!!! As squirrels love to chew & eat wirings coating thus making a fire hazard/risk. They aren’t picky either! They will eat wiring on vehicles, on & in buildings, heck they are even currently eating my aunts wooden picknic table that’s even painted. Hell I would rather you cause the sky’s to turn black from crows than to cause an infestation of these harmful & destructive rodents. Crows really don’t damage anything, squirrels on the other hand… they cost millions in home repairs every year! Once they get established it’s almost impossible to get rid of them & they spread quickly. So please please be a considerate neighbor! Our neighbor feeding squirrels causes us to lose time or money that we get from our 20 something pecan trees we depend on for income yearly. For 40 years no squirrels, she starts feeding them within 2 years they have moved on down to our yard & we have no choice but to poison them, trap them & even blow their little brains out! At that because this lady wanted to feed the huge destructive rodents!!
I have one big crow that hangs out on my air conditioner, poops all over, makes a lot of noise, mostly in the morning. I have tried most of these suggestions. Put up lots of foil strips – he ripped them down. Used wind chimes for noise to no avail. (Have not tried motion sensor noises yet). Have dogs outside barking, he doesn’t care. He messes up my windows (he must be pecking at them when I’m not home). He’s fairly aggressive in his actions. Bought fake but real looking crows from Amazon (feathers and all, different poses wings spread some not) hung and placed them around the immediate area on the deck. He ripped them down and mutilated them pulled of the wings and feathers and threw them over the railing. Tried that with two sets of them.
I don’t know what to do next. Any suggestions? Should I try to befriend him and leave food so he isn’t so belligerent or will that make it worse? Any advice is most welcomed.
Hello !
Thanks for all the crow info.
Near me, in San Jose, they & other cities are using green lasers to get rid of all the crows ! ( Their poop is ruining paint jobs & making public places messy, etc. )
I find it always works, flash around their eyes and they either keep turning their head or startle and fly off.
It can be as quick as 1 second, or may take a few minutes. Sometimes, if they see me step out they just fly away, knowing what’s coming !
Thanks –
Hi, do you have any laser brands you recommend? I am thinking about purchasing one now. Thank you for sharing this
Heck me clapping my hands or banging 2 pots together is just as effective & doesn’t cost me anything. My neighbors might think I’m alittle off from seeing me come outside & clapping a lot. This has actually been beneficial as I never liked that old bitty 2faced heifer & now she doesn’t try to talk to me throwing sly comments in conversation, we just wave.
it’s not just in Japan that crows are treated with sacredness. In many parts of Asia, including India and China where they have been known to feed back when someone is doing something wrong or telling on them-which makes these birds kindof like our version superheroes!
A few years ago while traveling through Thailand I came across this story about how local people viewed their feathered friends: “The crow has great powers,” one man told me as he pointed out into forest where several dozen more could be seen winging overhead.” “If you’re lucky enough for one bird sit upon your shouldersand then another
We have an equestrian boarding facility and ravens have built two nests in the rafters of our riding arena. They are a complete nuisance, scaring the horses etc. I have also noticed they have scared away all the small songbirds, robins, house finches etc. that we loved. If we put the high pitched sensors in, will it adversley affect our horses? We are desperate to get rid of them, and have our beautiful nature return. Am going to get a couple of fake owls today, but any other suggestions are welcome.
Make a wooden cut out of a crow with wings out stretched and hang it upside down on your veranda by a metre of cord. IT WORKS
I found out if I just flap my arms in their sight they fly away lol. It’s pretty funny actually.
If I hang out CDS wont that also keep small birds away?
We want to invite small birds but keep away crows. What advice can u give?
My neighbors have piles of trash all over, and the crows sit in my pines and caw alllllll day long while swooping for the trash. It’s driving me insane 😖
I started feeding a couple if corvids during COVID. They became my delightful COVID-safe visitors. This pair of Australian Ravins built a nest in view of my back door & watched my every move. I now have 3 ravens that come numerous times a day. Also a butcherbird, & a very tame magpie which likes to be handfed.
Now I’m finding bread, crusts & a chicken bone in the birdbath, which I thought were gifts. But now, almost daily the birdbath is become a revolting soup of such as feathers, bird claws, a wing, & even a bird beak! Not at all pleasant! And rendering the water no good for any other birds. What have I started? How do I stop feeding them without them holding a grudge, as I’ve heard crows can do? Suggestions welcome.
I’m wanting to get rid of the crows, but not the smaller birds (magpies, butcher birds, lorikeets, rosellas) who come to feed daily at my home. The crows are making a nuisance of themselves and fighting the smaller birds for the food. Most of your suggestions unfortunately will scare or alleviate all birdlife from the garden. Any additional advice is appreciated.
I have the same issue. I think I’m just going to take down all my feeders for a bit and hope they move on to someplace else. 🤷🏼♀️
There nothink but a pain. There is more and more coming and for 2years now dont see the sparrows at all even the wood pigeons have left.
There nowt but horrible vultures I have to stand in my garden now when I put my small dog out cause one day 2 came down and went to attack him. It never use to be like this but all summer and winter all you get all day and night is them squawking they should start wiping some out they are over taking all the other wild life.
I just love the crows. The neighbors were complaining although no one would say I was the one feeding them.
Luckily, or there is a reason among crows that I do know, just one crow comes now. He always is on the same branch in the same tree. I put his food, nuts, and berries further out of sight of the neighbors. Hopefully, this will continue. I still have a crow and the neighbors
have no reason to complain. Honestly. Some people. I do understand when there is a murder of crows the sound barrier can be broken. Luckily, it is working out. It helped that the one crow just comes. When I called the crows many came. I do not have to call this one.
For the love of crows, Susan.
Thanks for sharing. These types of birds are large and can dominate the other small birds for food. They are aggressive and can be a headache to me as a birder.