Lasers, pyrotechnics, spotlights and more could be used to drive thousands of crows from their winter roosts in Washington Square Park and places south along the river.
But St. Mary Church — having seen the crows ousted before, only to return — chose to cut down its 21 swamp oak trees that lined Woodbury Boulevard. The last of the old trees fell on Monday. New plantings begin today.
“It used to be the sidewalks were so covered in crow excrement, you couldn’t see sidewalk,” said Maureen O’Connor, the church business manager. “We have it on our building. We have it on our windows. We have it on our front door.
“When the city comes out to clean the sidewalks, these guys are suited head to toe.”
An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 crows have taken up residence in the park and along the river trail. Other areas of concern are Mt. Hope Cemetery and Genesee Valley Park.
“Urban winter crow roosts have become an increasingly common phenomenon,” Mayor Thomas Richards wrote to City Council last week. “It is believed that crows are drawn to the lighting, slightly warmer temperatures and lack of predators found in urban environments.”
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