Wailer working on Brighton crows, residents say

A noise-making device bought to chase away thousands of crows in a Charlottetown neighbourhood appears to be working.

The city bought two Phoenix Wailers last year at a cost of $4,000 each. The device uses a variety of sounds - alarm calls, predator birds, gun shots - to scare off the crows.  It is the latest plan to deal with a problem that has gone on for years.

"We've had a severe crow problem for quite a few years, and every year it's gotten worse and worse," said Lori Kays, who lives on Brighton Road.

"We've got a daughter who's 16-years-old, and she's never been able to play in the leaves at our house in the fall just because they are so covered in crow dirt."

Kays was the first to try a wailer when the city offered to loan them out as a pilot project In November. She was impressed with the results.

"That night we had some crows around. They came to roost in the trees and they were gone as the noise started," she said.

"From that day on we haven't had any crows in the area."

Coun. Rob Lantz, who represents Brighton, said while the wailers driving crows away is a positive result, it's just the first step in getting rid of them.

"Nobody wants them there, the crows are just unloved, nobody wants the crows, so the question is where to put them," said Lantz.

The pilot project is ending now, and Lantz said the city now needs to focus on how to drive the crows to Victoria Park or break up the group into smaller flocks.