Crow Mayhem in the Fields and the Fight for Harvest Survival
Crows Damage Farm Produce - When Crow Farmers Ruin the Crops They Sowed
Hey there, folks! Let's dive into a tale of avian invasions and agricultural chaos. When crows flock to fields, it ain't just a sight to behold — it can mean pointing the finger at a disastrous crop fail for farmers. So, what's a farmer to do when scarecrows just can't cut it? Well, the State Office for the Environment (LfU) has teamed up with the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (HSWT) to assay an array of repellent tactics on lands befouled by the winged rascals.
The festivities kicked off in early April, zeroing in on the especially hard-hit regions of Straubing, Erding, and Asbach-Bäumenheim (Donau-Ries district). Any farmers really yearning to join the party are still welcome to hop aboard. In Straubing, the main crow colony, boasting roughly 1,000 breeding pairs, nests near the zoo, according to an LfU spokesman.
Grazing ain't their bag, son
The pressure from these feathered fiends is so immense that some fields hardly bear crops. Crows prefer animal grub like earthworms, but if those aren't on the menu, they uproot veggies and seedlings to chow down on the larvae lurking in roots, or else they go for pumpkin seeds and lettuce heads.
Conventional precautions like scarecrows or flashing CDs mounted on wooden crosses sometimes don't cut it in keeping fields safe, explains Nils Teufel, a HSWT scientific employee. As such, balloons, kites, and decoy crows are being deployed more intensely on project parcels.
Could lead to a shootout
Another tactic under consideration is target practice. Exception permits allowing hunting have been handed out by the city and district of Straubing. However, breeding parents are off-limits. No crows have met their maker since the project's inception.
Since crows can get mistaken for rooks, hunting permits for both bird species have to be applied for on the project's grounds, just in case a trigger-happy hunter accidently peels the cap on the wrong variety of raven, the LfU representative explains.
Torn nets and crop carnage
One local participant in Straubing is Johannes Frank, who cultivates medicinal plants like Primula veris and other greens. During a visit, he shares photographs of destroyed fields, complete with protective nets torn open by the crows. The critters peck holes in the nets, unfazed by the presence of humans or machinery — they just follow the planters right along and yank out the seedlings again.
For four days, six employees labor tirelessly from dawn till dusk to cultivate the field, but the crow damage can't be compensated for. And Frank's clients expect dependability.
In 2023, around 140,000 euros in crop damage was attributed to crows at Frank's farm and three other member-farms of the Obst und Gemüse Straubing cooperative. Now, Frank's got some LfU kites flapping above his field along with plastic replicas of dead crows. These are meant to scare off the crows and look so realistic that passersby have already dialed the cops, thinking they've stumbled upon a murder scene, reports an LfU spokesman.
Despite a habituation effect with these deterrent methods, Frank insists that the first 14 days post-planting are crucial for his crops. This year, the crows didn't adapt to the decoys as swiftly as in seasons past. "There's no guarantee," says Nils Teufel.
Urban Crow Control Project
The project is expected to run until harvest, with findings to be evaluated at year's end. In Dachau, within the LfU project, attempts have been made to ward off crows in urban zones. Fourteen crows were capped, and 83 nests were uprooted. Preliminary results from this part of the project are still under wraps.
The Bavarian State Association for the Protection of Birds (LBV) holds a skeptical attitude towards the project. "When there's friction in wildlife coexistence, there's a quick call for culling instead of seeking solutions that respect species and animal protection," the association opines.
The arrival of crows in cities is largely attributed to modifications in agriculture. There are fewer secluded wooded groups where they can nest in colonies, according to the LBV. "The birds move into cities — often as a last resort."
- As the growing season progresses, urban farmers face an increasing challenge from crows, which have shown a preference for city life due to the scarcity of secluded wooded areas for nesting.
- In a bid to mitigate the impact of these feathered raiders on agricultural produce and urban gardens, the LfU has turned to science, collaborating with the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences to implement various deterrent tactics.
- The findings from this urban crow control project, currently ongoing, will be evaluated at the year's end, providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of different strategies in managing environmental conflicts between industries, wildlife, and housing.
