April 10, 2024 |
Photo – Raven – Bigfoot99 file photo
The city of Rawlins will begin killing ravens at the landfill next week.
During the April 2nd Rawlins city council meeting, City Manager Tom Sarvey said preparations are underway to kill the nearly 200 ravens that roost at the city’s landfill. Sarvey said the raven cull is scheduled to begin next Monday.
When the raven population at the landfill gets too high, the city calls the Wildlife Services arm of the United States Department of Agriculture. Bigfoot99 contacted USDA Wildlife Services District Supervisor Brady Smith for more information about the raven cull. Smith was unable to speak on air, but provided answers to our questions via email.
Bigfoot99 asked Smith why ravens congregate at the landfill. The Wildlife Services District Supervisor said the birds tend to gather at sites that provide artificial food sources, such as garbage dumps. Smith said studies show that raven populations have grown 300 to 1,500%, depending on the region, during the last few decades.
Smith said when raven populations at the landfill get too high, Rawlins officials contact USDA Wildlife Services to initiate raven control. The city must show that some form of damage or threat of damage either to humans or property exists. The city’s claims are then verified by USDA Wildlife Services personnel. From there, Smith said his staff determines the appropriate bird removal method to use.
Smith said depending on the situation, USDA staff may choose to only provide technical assistance to the city by pointing out simple solutions or deterrents that someone can implement themselves to resolve the situation. Other times, when there are no practical alternatives, Smith said lethal removal may be implemented. All lethal removal of ravens is covered by the USDA’s permit through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the Wildlife Services District Supervisor.
Bigfoot99 asked what risk ravens present to humans. Smith replied that large concentrations of ravens pose a risk to human health and safety as they can transmit various diseases via fecal contamination.
The Wildlife Services District Supervisor said where large congregations of ravens roost, it is common to find fecal matter several inches deep. Smith said Avian Influenza, or bird flu, is one of the primary diseases raven feces may contain.
Smith also said artificially inflated raven populations pose a significant threat to wildlife, with Sage Grouse being in the most danger. Ravens are efficient nest predators and have been documented to be the most significant predator of Sage Grouse nests. Smith said in the spring, ravens can kill deer, antelope, elk, and livestock babies by pecking the eyes, navels, or rectums of the newborn animals.
Smith said the most common method of raven control is the avicide, DRC-1339. Smith said the chemical is regulated by the EPA and specifically targets birds. He said the chemical is applied to a bait source that is specific to the targeted bird species. Once consumed, the affected birds will commonly die at the roost site 12 to 72 hours later.
The Wildlife Services District Supervisor said DRC-1339 does not pose a secondary risk to other animals, including pets and scavengers, because the chemical is metabolized within two hours after consumption, leaving no residual trace in the bird carcasses.
Smith said Wildlife Services personnel take measures to ensure no unintended animal deaths occur. Prior to treatment with DRC-1339, staff place pre-bait at the site to ensure that only the targeted species is consuming the bait. Once the team is confident that only the targeted species are consuming the bait, they will proceed with treatment.
DRC-1339 is specifically selected due to its bird-specific properties, and lack of secondary risks, thereby mitigating non-target take, said Smith.
Some may find killing the ravens distasteful. Bigfoot99 asked if the birds could be removed with a more humane method. Smith said “humane” is a subjective term open to individual interpretation. The Wildlife Services District Supervisor said birds treated with DRC-1339 become lethargic for a brief period of time before perishing, but studies have not documented any behaviors that indicate treated birds suffer in any way.
Smith said other methods can be use on smaller congregations of ravens, such as nets, traps, and firearms. However, Smith said the take is limited to only a few individuals at a time. The Wildlife Services District Supervisor said those methods are not effective against larger populations of ravens because the birds quickly learn to avoid the traps.
Rawlins instituted a raven cull in December of 2022. Soon after, residents began posting online about finding dead birds in their yards. Smith said if anyone finds a deceased raven related to Monday’s avicide application, they should contact Wildlife Services Specialist Luke Spanbauer at 710-1498. Smith said Spanbauer will coordinate the collection and disposal of the carcasses.
The raven cull at the Rawlins landfill is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 15th.
