Tokyo’s Shibuya ward has turned to a hawk in its effort to drive away troublesome crows from downtown areas.
Crows pose a nuisance to the community as they peck on garbage bags and scatter trash on the streets.
The ward introduced the hawk on a trial basis from Wednesday. Hawker Misato Ishibashi, based in Saga Prefecture in western Japan, took part in the experiment.
Ishibashi and others drove around busy areas of Shibuya early in the morning. Whenever they found crows scavenging the garbage, the hawk was released to chase them away.
At times, the crows stood up to the falcon by surrounding it instead of flying away.
Ishibashi said it was difficult for the hawk to concentrate on the crows, as it gets distracted by the many pigeons also in Shibuya. But she said she has a sense of fulfillment, as her bird was able to scare away the crows.
Noriyuki Matsushima, an advisor on Shibuya’s environmental policies, said the ward will discuss how to use hawks based on the results of the ongoing trial. He said Shibuya will also urge restaurants and shops to abide by the city’s rules on handling garbage, in order to maintain a clean environment.
Source and image: NHK
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