Crow Populations on the Rebound

Those smart, sassy birds who love to raid gardens and orchards, and generally don't like humans much, have staged a mass invasion of a town called California in the state of Pennsylvania.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/real-life-horror-movie-thousands-of-crows-invade-pa-town/

When did crows become protected? Back-story of which many Blaze commenters seem unaware: about ten years ago, East Coast crow, jay, and hawk populations suffered horribly from mosquito-borne West Nile virus. Suffering birds would actually come to humans' doors, and people in places like Washington, D.C., were warned not to try to help the birds, as there was no treatment, most infected birds would die, and the infectious disease can also make horses or humans ill.

For several years these clever (and, yes, lovable) birds really were endangered.

However, our friends in Pennsylvania are suffering from a local population explosion that's actually dangerous to crows and humans: Overcrowded masses of any species tend to attract (and be vulnerable to) plagues, so huge flocks of crows not only make messes to hose off cars and buildings, but also put their relatives back at risk for another virus epidemic.

If I lived in Pennsylvania, I'd propose an emergency exemption to laws protecting the crows. Shoot a few of them, or shoot in their direction. Crows are very intelligent creatures; they learn the difference between a gun and a stick, and once they realize that they're seriously unwelcome, they'll move on. And con suerte they'll spread themselves out--huge flocks of birds tend to form in late winter, before the birds pair off and raise their families--and not continue to place themselves at risk for another plague.