Noise To Empty Nests

STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY - WTAJ News visited Penn State's campus to find out how the campus is getting rid of crows. Which are proving to be a pesky problem.

The the school puts together a six person crew who creates noise forcing the birds to fly away. They're scaring crows, without using scare-crows.

Les Wyatt's the Supervisor of the 6-person crew tasked with getting rid of the birds. He says large flocks of crows leaving waste on the ground, and swooping down at people makes them a real problem for the school.

"They present an unsanitary condition to the faculty staff and students of Penn State's campus..."

Alexandria Pump is a senior at Penn State. She wants the crows gone.

"...When they are here, it's definitely a problem. There's lots of waste on the sidewalks, and they're definitely a distracting presence on campus, with noise and general swooping in and out. And flying, it's just a little distracting."

But not everybody feels that way. Sophomore Sara Treuman says there are other pests on campus too. She thinks a group setting off fireworks to just scare crows, is well, for the birds.

"It seems like an over reaction I mean we already have a massive amount of squirrels and rabbits. What's crows going to add to the mix?"

Police and students are alerted beforehand, so no one mistakes the booms and bangs for gun shots. Pump says she can deal with the noise, as long as it empties nests.
 
"...It definitely isn't a distracting presence like the crows are so I think it's a positive policy...""Are you going to be sad when you see the crows go?" Not at all."

Crew members say there are thousands of crows on Penn State's campus right now, and think that thousands more will be coming as the weather gets cooler. They say they'll continue the noise blasting through the end of the semester, and even beyond if
necessary.