In brief

📜 Crows, often associated with negative omens, are criticised for their varied diet, which is harmful to gardens and agriculture.

🚫 There is an effective trick to keep crows away.

🌱 Other complementary methods can be used to deter crows from taking up residence in gardens.

Crows, whether in towns or the countryside, have a very bad reputation. They are, like ravens, synonymous for the most superstitious with misfortune, death, or quite simply bad omens. It has to be said that, like some ravens, their intelligence is sometimes what they lack most: as omnivores, this bird with its black beak and plumage does not hesitate to feed on anything it can find under its feet in the garden.

Crows eat insects and worms, and sometimes the flesh of dead animals, but they also eat a lot of plants, much to the annoyance of farmers and gardeners, both amateur and professional. Very often these are seedlings (cereals, roots, fruit, acorns, seeds). Another point that doesn't work in its favour? Its song, or rather its cry, which is relatively unpleasant to the human ear. And when several crows come to enjoy your garden, it's normal to quickly reach saturation point.

Are you looking for a way to scare off these unwanted birds without hurting them? Don't know what else to do? Don't worry: this foolproof tip should be able to keep the crows out of your garden.

The foolproof tip to repel these unwanted birds (naturally)

Like ravens and other birds of the Corvidae family, crows have a highly developed sense of smell. You can use this to scare them away from your garden, as they are very sensitive to certain smells. Garlic, for example, is unbearable for them. Chop up a few cloves of garlic, then place them in fabric bags and hang them from the branches of trees or shrubs. The birds are sure to flee the area. Alternatively, rub the garlic bulbs into the posts of your fence.

If you have chilli pepper at home, it can also be used as a natural repellent. Mix ground cayenne pepper with water, spray the solution on areas frequented by crows and you're done! Citronella essential oil (diluted in water and sprayed on the plants you want to protect) can also be effective. Coffee grounds can also be used: simply scatter them around your plants.

How do you keep crows out of your garden?

In addition to the tips mentioned above, there are other ways of keeping crows away from your garden. You can eliminate food sources, for example, by making sure that your bins are properly closed and that you don't leave food lying around outside. You can also cut low branches to prevent them from settling in your garden, as crows like to nest there.

Finally, don't be afraid to make noise. Crows are fearful birds. You can scare them away by making noise with a wind chime or a buzzer. Be careful, though, to use only the tricks mentioned. These birds, although undesirable, are an integral part of biodiversity. But if the problem is too serious, don't hesitate to contact professionals who will be able to advise you.

Are crows harmful?

Although crows are not very popular in fields or gardens, they are not pests. They are highly intelligent birds, able to make tools, recognise themselves in a mirror... And although they can cause damage in gardens or fields, this bird is very useful for biodiversity.

As experts explain, it is 'a cleaner of nature because it sometimes consumes sick, weak or dead animals, which limits the spread of disease in the environment. They also help to disperse seeds and promote plant regeneration and diversity. Crows also encourage the reproduction of kestrels and long-eared owls, as these birds of prey do not build their nests themselves but occupy former corvid nests.'