It's that time of year again — crows are on the move and wildlife officials are right behind them.
The "caw caw caws" aren't all you'll hear this evening: non-lethal methods used to disperse crows include pyrotechnics, spotlights, non-harmful lasers, and recorded crow distress calls that are amplified. Mayor Kathy Sheehan says U.S. Wildlife services will begin sweeps this afternoon and Thursday at 4:30 in Albany's Center Square neighborhood. The effort will conclude each night at 8.
"So if you hear loud booms it is just us trying to make sure that we don't have these large nestings of crows. It's been successful every year. We work with the DEC to do this. It is a safe and humane way of dispersing the crows."
Residents can help out by using bright flashlights to disperse crows roosting in trees, and by placing household trash in containers with lids to discourage crows from feeding.
