What can you do to help control the crow population?
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NParks said everyone has a part to play in reducing the crow population in Singapore.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
SINGAPORE - The Republic in late-March re-started crow shooting operations after a six-year hiatus, in an effort to control the population numbers of these non-native birds.
Alternative population control methods, including the trapping and removal of the birds, as well as the removal of crows’ nests, were deemed inadequate amid a rise in reports about crow attacks.
Such operations have already begun in Yishun and would be expanded to eight other districts over the next few weeks. The other areas are: Bishan, Jurong, Kranji, Punggol, Sembawang, Tampines, Toa Payoh and Woodlands.
Based on an NParks’ survey, the number of house crows was about 160,000 in 2024. In an earlier population study in 2016, there were about 7,200 of the birds on mainland Singapore.
The National Parks Board (NParks) gave the media a glimpse into how a crow shooting operation was carried out at a heavy vehicle carpark in Jurong on April 2.
Speaking at the demonstration, Mr Soh Ze Bin, NParks’ director for wildlife management and outreach said everyone has a part to play in reducing the crow population in Singapore.
Here are some things you should do or not do to help in controlling the crow population:
Avoid feeding crows. Feeding increases their reliance on humans for food, and changes their natural foraging habits. Under the Wildlife Act, offenders can be fined up to $5,000 for their first offence of feeding any wild animal, including crows, and up to $10,000 for subsequent offences.
Fruits in trees planted at landed property should be harvested or covered with opaque materials. This is because crows are omnivores that also feed on insects, fruits and vegetables.
Those living in houses near hot spots where crows roost should remove water sources in their yards, as they could present a stable drinking source for the birds.
Pet owners should remove unfinished food and spills if they feed their pets outdoors.
When you encounter a crow, do not touch, chase, or corner it. Getting too close to the crow may frighten them and cause them to act in self-defence. Do not talk loudly and do not use flash photography as noise and light may scare and provoke the crow.
To avoid being attacked, do not stand near the nest or the area where the crows are attacking. Reports of crows attacking people are likely due to breeding individuals defending their nests or young.
Residents of landed property can consider playing recordings of crow distress calls multiple times a day, or stringing up shiny metal pieces, such as CDs, to reflect sunlight and disperse roosting crows. However, this method may not be effective for long, as crows are intelligent birds.
If you come across crows that are injured or distressed, or are being attacked by crows continuously, call NParks’ Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.
Source: NParks
