Urban Falconry in Portland | Challenges with winter crow migrations in cities | Oregon Field Guide 

There's definitely some confusion in the comments here. Let's clear up a few things. 1) Yes, crows are known to pick on raptors, typically trying to steal food from a bird with a meal. The difference here is that the hawks are on more level footing in that they don't have a meal to defend, and the crows are just interested in getting some rest. As an analogy, me and my friends may be able to jump a guy stuffing his face on a park bench and take his wallet, but if he pulls his car up to my house and blasts a stereo in the window, we aren't going to be able to sleep. 2) The object here is not to kill the crows. Other birds are better-suited to that particular mission, and that creates issues by itself. The goal here is to push the crows into areas where they are less intrusive, like using sheepdogs to herd a flock into a barn so they don't wreck a pasture. 3) In the strictest sense of the word, this is not falconry. That would require a falcon(not a hawk), and a true hunt. This is more bird abatement. However, for every average Joe out there, and every falconer who is not a stuck-up prick stuck on the most narrow interpretation of the term, this absolutely can be considered falconry. 4) Using raptors to deter nuisance birds in city centres is not new or novel. Back in the 60s, a pesticide called DDT was determined to be interfering with the population of peregrine falcons, putting them on the endangered list. Many cities set up nesting sites in their core areas, as the buildings and streets closely mimicked the canyon environments the falcons naturally used. This had the side effect of driving these birds out of those areas, and some cities continued to maintain those nesting sites after the falcon population had begun to recover, specifically for that reason. As of 2009, when I lived in the city of Calgary, there were still peregrine falcons nesting downtown to deter crows and pigeons and such from moving in.

What is cool about Harris hawks is that they hunt in packs unlike other hawks and falcons.

That is totally brilliant. Way to go Portland.

Lol. It's just portland.. someone walking around with a Paris hawk.. lol. Yep. I've seen weirder things in Portland.

This is freekin awesome! 👍👍🐦

The opening sequence looked straight out of the Hitchcock movie, "The Birds". I love this movie and any other Hitchcock movie. I love falconry too.

Thank you portland, very cool.

That is pretty damn cool!

“So much so...there was just shit everywhere” 😂

I applaud Portland's approach to pest management, but it isn't new and certainly isn't novel.

Well done I breed Harris hawks in England good job there

Very cool

Hahahahaha I love raptors and all falcon's, but the simple fact these dudes have crow patrol vests on is absolutely hilarious.

Weird, here in California I always see 3 or 4 crows ganging up hawks all the time. Here in the bay area crows are assholes. Ive seen them try to knock off a squirrel off a tree.

Set up roosting sites and introduce Peregrine Falcons.

I hear nothing but good things about Portland.... even the hipster jokes are great

Very good, in Island Madeira (Island were Cristiano Ronaldo CR7 was born) we will start a new project like this, to drive away the piegons of the city if Harris Hawks: D Good Jobbbbb

I would be worried that the crows would gang up on the hawk and kill it. It happens all the time when theres a large flock of them.

good job ….but get an owl ….they scare the s@#t out of crows. blue light transmitter great idea

well, i would say harris hawks are a good way. especially since they're one of the only known birds of prey to hunt in packs. crows can be a problem for falconers. these crows have a higher chance of just flying away. however if its the same crows. they remember. and they can share information through generations. so while it may work for a little bit. crows will notice how the hawk is. and how they may follow the laser, and crows are known to pester raptors. or even the person with the raptor. this has a high chance of working for a while. but they may slowly learn, or even suddenly. if its primarily at night i would say to go with an owl of sorts. owls can be controversial and some say they aren't very bright. but, in reality. it's just because they work best at night. so it wont all be sight like regular raptors. it tends to be the bigger the disc. the more they rely on hearing. im not a professional and i could explain it longer but this is merely just a comment on a youtube post. feel free to argue as again im, not a pro. but I've studied for quite some time now. and that's just an idea on it if its the main thing to use raptors i think it would be better in general not to make them go away. but try to find a way to encourage them to move. if they have a better spot to roost they would probably rather it.

What about create some nest for urban raptors? It could be a great support to dimish the crow poppulation

I mean where can I sign up?

How do I apply 😵‍💫🥶🤭🤗👊😎

Look how beautiful Portland used to be...

There are many similarities to the crow problem in Portland and using a trained animal to alleviate said problem to the cougar problem in all of rural Oregon and the lack of ability to use a trained animal to alleviate said problem.

Haha...just move the problem to a waterfront park or elsewhere, is what she said. 😆

Thats where my uncle lives

Notice he said he fly lol. You mean the hawk fly

Maybe this will work with the homeless problem too

I've been involved in falconry for the last 50 years, and I could tell you that it's going to take more than a few Hawks to scare away those crows forever. You're going to have to put a bounty on those crows, like they did in the 50s and 40s. They need to be shot out in the rural areas where they are feeding. I don't know how you go about getting permits to do that, but that's going to be the only solution. OSH :-(

Bird don’t sleep. The joke is on you

I want a job killing pigeons in the city. Seriously? A yellow vest? Please. The bird needs it?

The only thing lacking in this type of falconry is a .....Falcon lol

Not falconry...just some guy walking around with a hawk.

wow, talk about gentrification! way to go Portland!🙄

I can’t stand it. You have to let us know how things are going today.

Not falconry

Of only falcons could stop all their hoboes from crapping all over everything too.

Just wait till night time when most people are back at home and the crows are in the trees roosting, then bring out a couple pellet guns and problem solved!

Can you chase away the homeless people taking dumps outside your nice stores and Antifa destroying public places?

Surprise soy boy antifa don’t try shut it down as cruel in Portland 😂

Hippies

I'm shocked that the SJW's aren't raising hell!