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12:59 PM MST on Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Ysabel Bilbao
Idaho's NewsChannel 7

CALDWELL -- Caldwell officials are turning to more forceful measures to rid downtown of pesky crows that have found homes in the trees.

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The city of Caldwell could soon begin using lethal force to rid the town of pesky crows.

The City Council approved a resolution would allow police to shoot a limited number of the birds to scare flocks out of downtown.

Mayor Garret Nancolas says it's a last resort. Non-lethal methods of scaring them away haven't been fully successful.

Thousands of the crows have been roosting in Caldwell for several weeks. And their droppings now cover the sidewalks and buildings.

Caldwell city workers say they've everything to get the birds out of town. Propane cannons, laser lights, and noise makers, but nothing will make the birds leave.

Crows are not a new thing to the city of Caldwell.

The mayor says they first started showing up at the Albertson College campus, but eventually moved throughout the city.

During the daylight hours the trees around the city of Caldwell sit quiet and almost empty. But when it gets dark, the trees go from one lonely bird to completely filled.

"You would see 30-40 crows in the trees, they come during the night and stay during the night and as soon as daylight comes they are gone feeding all over the county," Nancolas said.

Western officials of the U-S Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services have approved the shooting plan.

The American crow is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. But department officials say they can be killed when they cause a health hazard or other nuisance.

"If they are causing a problem or a nuisance or Ag nuisance or human safety concern, there is a provision in the law that allows them to be shot at anytime in the year without ant permit," said Mark Collinge, State Director for Wildlife.

Associated Press contributed to this story