The Issue

Minnesota Parks and Rec plans to partner with Mayo Clinic and USDA Wildlife Services to perform a lethal crow abatement initiative in the business district in Rochester, MN. Although this does not define all undertakings, this year’s “intensive phase” is scheduled for December 1st through the 5th of 2024, primarily between the hours of 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., with some activities supposedly continuing into February 2025.

Experts will selectively cull these birds using lethal methods, notably air rifles, to prevent them from roosting in a city where thousands of crows have been gathering for years in the winter months.

The Crows

Crows posses an extremely high level of intelligence and they congregate in the winter months to avoid predators, to socialize and choose mates, and to safely survive harsh weather conditions.  Crows have a robust beneficial environmental influence, which far outweighs the problems being discussed. For instance, they play a key role in sustaining our delicate ecosystem equilibrium, transporting seeds for germination and growth of trees and shrubs. They also clean up rubbish, roadkill and other pests (such as rodents and various insects harmful to human spaces, like cockroaches and ticks.)

These specific birds are known to have acute facial recognition and can remember specific faces for years. They do respond well to kind gestures but also act defensively when violence is used against them, which can be problematic in the long run with the measures that were passed.

Who Is Deciding and What is at Stake

These three decision-maker bodies (the Rochester City Council members, the Parks and Rec staff and officers from the USDA Wildlife Services) have been chosen to represent the voice of the public at large and serve as caring liaisons who are committed through teamwork and partnership. Listening to the breadth of concerns from the wider community and the proposals for different solutions for long term success should, therefore, be a very important part of their definition of and compassionate approach to service. Understanding how their actions are tied in with other jurisdictions and humans and animal populations in the greater metropolitan area is especially important in this instance since these birds are migratory, meaning the concerned community extends further beyond the immediate needs of the downtown business district of the city of Rochester.

Why Is Killing These Crows in Rochester a Bad Idea?

While lethal measures are maybe a fast way to try to deal with the issue at hand, they pose many other problems:

-The officials who made the decision are in jobs designed to protect our fragile local ecosystems and supposedly seek environmentally healthy and long term successful solutions so we can peacefully coexist with other species. A larger part of the bigger picture here seems to have been neglected.

-One animal species is being targeted and others, like geese, who are doing the same thing in the same vicinity, are not. Are crow droppings more heavily weighed than feces from other animals (like dog poop from lazy owners?) These actions might set a precedent for viewing and dealing with other animals in a similar manner.

-It will be traumatic for children in the community if they see crows being shot and killed and blind killing does not reflect the community’s values. There is psychological research available on the long term effects on children who have witnessed animal abuse and how it may normalize a lens of devaluation and further instances of cruelty.

-The Migratory Bird Act was started and continues to be updated where there are lapses of coverage for certain animals like crows, who are supposedly protected but killing can be condoned at any time just by terming them “a nuisance.” Laws get questioned, updated and changed in response to situations like this, especially where there is a stark difference between crows and other protected birds, sparrows and wrens, who also leave significant droppings. One can become aware of and help be a part of fixing these discrepancies in a case like this instead of perpetuating them.

-Internationally recognized corvid and bird experts have not yet been consulted to fully understand the situation or the options. There are a number of professors and ornithologists who have not weighed in on the crows’ behavior or possible solutions.

-The decision makers have not heard proposals from the entire concerned community. As the birds are migratory, other communities in the wider MN region have not had a chance to weigh in.

-The officials have asked publicly for patience on their end but the timeframe does not allow for feedback at the next Council meeting before the abatement begins. The Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper covered this issue after the decision was made. If patience is truly valued on both ends, wouldn’t allowing the December 2nd Council meeting to take place and rescheduling the abatement be in accordance with that ask?

-Different cultural and spiritual beliefs about crows held by indigenous peoples and populations have not been considered - one overarching viewpoint is being forced on everyone that the animals are pests, a public health problem and a nuisance. There seems to be a long-held prejudice surrounding this specific animal because of the monolithic representation in films, television, advertisements, etc. and the Council has acted on that set of views only.

-Shooting in the city does not seem like a safe idea and the terms are somewhat open-ended based on the verbiage about when this is happening and how.

-The public health hazard that is being emphasized has not been quantitatively measured. For instance, there has been discussion that the risks have changed (talk of slips and falls due to droppings) but are the droppings really this dense that this is happening at a new rate? Are there documented statistics and science to back this charge?

-These birds are known to take action when harmed. Crow experts have compiled evidence on this and the risk has not yet been reviewed.

-All other methods, including successful interventions with raptors in other cities like Portland, OR, have not yet been tried. (https://www.opb.org/article/2023/04/11/crows-took-over-downtown-portland-then-they-left-what-happened/

Non-Lethal Solutions:

-Secure trash and compost

-Feed pets indoors

-Try staging a shooting with a fake crow decoy.

-Clean up of droppings could be merged into ice and snow removal since these DO pose higher risks for winter sidewalks. Public jobs could be created.

-Since the feds are coming in with the MN-DNR and the USDA, research and attempts that have been successful across the nation could be tried first (since culling hasn’t worked in other US cities in the past, including Rochester.)

-Provide educational seminars about crows from corvid and bird experts and try some of their proposed solutions.

-Create a space for the crows. If they were welcomed like at The Rookery in Vancouver, they might behave differently (since they have typically stayed in one spot like Central Park or the Plummer Bldg).

-Help change the public’s perspective and reframe the idea that having birds near the hospital is actually a great way to have a healing natural landscape for recovery with the acceptance of all of nature. As someone who has been a patient at Mayo Clinic for multiple surgeries and family members' appointments, I can attest that this is not a singular viewpoint.

The Decision Makers

Brooke Carlson, City Council President

bcarlson@rochestermn.gov

Patrick Keane, City Council Member, 1st Ward

pkeane@rochestermn.gov

Mark Bransford, City Council Member, 2nd Ward

mbransford@rochestermn.gov

Norman Wahl, City Council Member, 3rd Ward

nwahl@rochestermn.gov

Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick, City Council Member, 4th Ward

kkirkpatrick@rochestermn.gov 

Molly Dennis, City Council Member, 6th Ward

mdennis@rochestermn.gov

Park & Forestry Division Head

Mike Nigbur mnigbur@rochestermn.gov

Mike Schaber, Park 7 Forestry Operations Manager:

mschaber@rochester.mn.gov

Media Inquiries

612.695.1607

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