Crows look for food in garbage cans. They sift through it, trying to find edible items and nesting materials. They can create a huge mess, and many people consider them a nuisance. Thankfully, several methods can help you keep crows from your garbage. This article will answer the question, ‘do crows eat garbage? We’ll also discuss how to stop crows from eating your trash.
Do Crows Eat Garbage?
If you left your trash neatly organized but only to come back and find it messy, the crow might have visited it. The main reason crows dig through garbage is to find food or nesting materials. Unfortunately, the mess crows create can be frustrating. For this reason, it’s essential to use security methods to keep these birds from your trash.
As we have already mentioned, the best way is to use a tight lid. However, there are other techniques you can use as well.
What Do Crows Feed on?
Understanding what crows eat is one way to stop them from messing with your trash. These birds feed on almost everything like insects, eggs, worms, snakes, produce, and even nesting birds. They have a huge appetite. In fact, one crow can eat as many as 40,000 caterpillars and other insects and worms in a single nesting period.
While crows may help control pests and seed transportation, they’re also considered pests since they dig through garbage to look for food. Therefore, you need to control these birds if you want your trash untouched and your garden intact.
Tips to Keep Out Crows from Your Garbage
Crows are one of the most intelligent birds. But controlling them is easier than you think. Of course, if you leave your trash open or uncared for, it will also attract crows and other animals.
Tight fitting lid
So the first step is to keep it closed and in a secure place. Make sure that your trash container has a tight-fitting lid. This should be enough to keep crows away. But sometimes, you can secure trash and still find crows eating from it. In that case, don’t solely blame it on the crow.
Animal proof trash can
There is a high chance that a dog or raccoon could have got into your garbage. If this is the case, consider buying a study animal-proof trash bin that will help keep these scavengers away.
Twist ties
You can also ensure more security by securing your garbage bags using twist ties before putting them in your trash bin. This way, should the animals manage to open the lid, they won’t reach the bags that easily.
Bricks
Consider placing a heavy object such as a brick on top of your trash once you close the lid.
Bird netting
Some people also use the bird netting technique to keep crows from their garbage, especially those who don’t have trash cans.
Aluminium
Also, you can think of stringing the trash can’s handle with aluminum pie cases. This provides more security and scares crows away and other animals that manage to open the lid.
Should You Use Poison?
Poisoning crows is undoubtedly an option. But it is cruel and, most times, ineffective. Poisons used on crows usually target their heart and kidney. So, the crow dies slowly and painfully for several days. Remember that crows tend to hide food. Therefore, it can reach many other unintended targets if it is poisoned.
Poisoning these birds may not also work since the surviving ones will still come back, and they will continue living and multiplying their number, which means you will worsen the case.
Instead of poisoning, you can use targeted harassment. This is when you set off fireworks and use other better methods to keep crows away, especially if there are many nearby buildings or cars. Some cities that have successfully used this method are Lancaster County, PA, Terre Haute, and Rocher, MN.
Are Crows Dangerous to Your Health?
Crows spend most of their time in the trash. Therefore, they aren’t considered hygienic birds. But they aren’t a threat to human health. Even though they may carry diseases, they don’t threaten humans.
However, you are never entirely safe, and learning about some of the diseases they may carry might help protect yourself.
West Nile Virus
Crows are sensitive to this disease. If you spot several dead crows in your area, it could be that this virus has spread. But crows do not spread it to humans. However, you can get it from mosquito bites.
Histoplasmosis
This occurs when fungus spreads from crows dropping to your respiratory system. While the disease may spread to other body parts, it doesn’t have a huge impact. So, it’s not a good reason to opt to poison crows.
Do Crows Eat Garbage: Final Thoughts
So, yes, crows eat human garbage and they can create a mess when they do so. But fortunately, you can keep these birds away using the above tips. These tips can also help to keep squirrels out of your yard. Whatever you do, poisoning them should be your last option.