Crow conundrum in Charlottetown

Charlottetown is looking at two competing plans to remove 20,000 crows from Victoria Park. One is a 10th the cost of the other, but Transport Canada warns it doesn't work.

The Nova Scotia company Phoenix Agritech has proposed using its Phoenix Wailer, which makes a combination of predator calls and distress cries. Company president Bruce Blacklock said it will do the job for $7,000.

"It more or less works by itself," said Blacklock.

"The 110-volt system I'm proposing for Victoria Park will come on at 4 in the afternoon and shut off at 7:30, just about when the crows come in to roost."

Transport Canada has studied the Phoenix Wailer as part of an attempt to control birds at airports and found the wailer only worked for short periods.Blacklock said those studies were based on older versions of the wailer. New versions, he said, are more effective.

Instead of the wailer, Transport Canada endorses a plan proposed by Bird Control International. It uses a variety of methods to frighten off the birds, including fireworks and falcons, but it costs $70,000.

The city's environment committee will take both proposals to council for a decision. Whatever it decides, it's too late to deal with the crow problem this year. They're already nestled into Victoria Park for the winter.