PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — It’s that time of year again. On Tuesday, trained hawks will be released in downtown Portland to help curb the population of roosting crows.
This will be the third year that the organizations Downtown Portland Clean & Safe and Integrated Avian Solutions team up to use hawks to abate the crows.
Crows have a natural fear of raptors — like hawks and falcons — and the program essentially uses the trained birds to scare the crows away from the 72-block area of downtown. Reducing the number of crows in the district cuts down on the amount of waste they leave behind, which is both unsightly and unsanitary.
The urban falconry demonstration will begin with an educational presentation where people will have a chance to ask questions of the experts. Then the hawks will be released and the clearing will begin! Families and children are welcome. Downtown Portland Clean & Safe said they will be providing bird-themed treats for the occasion as well.
The project host describes the program as, “a humane tactic to reduce the presence of roosting crows in the downtown core.”
If you’d like to attend, the presentation will start at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 15 on SW 5th Avenue—at the fountain in front of the Standard Insurance Center.
