Minsk Has Come Up With A Way To Combat The Influx Of Crows And Rooks

They'll start with the trash cans.

There are more and more crows and rooks in Minsk, which make a lot of noise in the courtyards and scatter trash. To prevent the birds from feeding on food waste, the city plans to replace open trash bins with containers that have tightly sealed lids, according to the Minsk City Committee for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.

Experts attribute the increase in the number of corvids to several factors. It is easier for them to find food in the city, the climate here is milder, and they have virtually no natural predators. Whereas crows used to fly into cities mainly to overwinter, they are now increasingly settling permanently and building nests in courtyards and parks.

Regulating bird populations is permitted in Belarus, but only in compliance with certain rules. For example, it is permitted to use sound and light deterrents, as well as to destroy nests, but only during the designated period—from August 15 to February 15.

Another method is trapping or shooting the birds. However, only specialized organizations may do so with a permit from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.

If crows or rooks are causing a nuisance, Minsk residents are advised to contact their district administration. A special commission will inspect the area and determine whether the bird population needs to be controlled, how, and when.

At the same time, it is prohibited to destroy nests, remove eggs or chicks, or capture and shoot birds on one’s own. The use of toxic chemicals is also prohibited. Such actions are subject to legal penalties.

However, scaring the birds away alone will not solve the problem: as long as the birds have free access to food waste, they will continue to settle near people. Therefore, plans are underway in Minsk to modernize trash collection sites—open containers are to be gradually replaced with closed ones. This is part of the city’s municipal waste management plan.

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