Crows Ruining Lawn

I have some serious damage being done by crows on my lawn. This started last week and already sizeable patches of turf have been pulled up leaving bald patches. It is now getting too late to reseed these areas where I live and so it leaves the lawn a real mess over winter. And, of course, weeds etc will take hold.

I know the problem will lie below the surface - chaffer grubs or leatherjackets. The ground is pretty heavy here so I would think it is more likely to be leatherjackets but can't be certain.

Is there any way to kill the pests below the soil and starve the crows of their food? Is there anyway to deter the birds from ripping up the lawn? Other than simply hanging a few shiny things from a shrub since I am sure they will simply move to another spot.

Another symptom of this problem is the mess they subsequently make of my car. Last week I actually thought that someone had thrown mud at the car until I noticed the footprints on the roof. The side window was coated in mud, the door mirror, door, wipers, etc too.

Large birds are really becoming a problem now. Unfortunately, by feeding the birds I know that I was as guilty as anyone for creating this problem.

So, any decent suggestion to a) kill the grubs and b) deter the crows?

 

I seem to remember hearing that if you put a covering over the grass at night when you remove it in the morning leather jacket will have come to the surface and you can sweep them up.
Never tried it, so don't know if it works or is even feasible, but you could try doing different areas each night.

 

I wouldn't sweep them up, I'd leave them on the surface for the crows.
There are nematodes you can buy and water on for both leather jackets and chafer grubs, bit e expensive if you have a large lawn.
Cheaper give a young relative a few bob to run around with a football rattle.

 

Just a quick headsup. they would be rooks not crows.

 

I had heard of those recently. However a caller to a radio gardening programme said how she spent a fortune on them and they did not work.

I may give the cover a try. My fear is that the crows will simply move to another aprt of the lawn. I forked it this morning. Follishly hoping that may encourage the things to come to the surface and get predated.

 

A crow in a row is a rook.

 

You are absolutely right. Not only will they wait until you go in, they will perch where you cannot see them, but they can monitor you. As they live in an area, they will evolve and adapt to their surroundings. That is why ours are becoming such a problem. Gulls can be like this too, but much more aggressive.

Although it is a different subject for a different topic, we do need to think carefully about what we do in our gardens and how we are contributing to the expansion of large bird species which can cause problems.

I live close to farmland - which does not help - but annually I would have starlings nest in the roof. Eventually the damage caused significant leakage and ultimately a new roof. I hate speaking like this as I am a member of the RSPB and as someone keen on the outdoors, loved watching the birds on the hills and moorland in Scotland. We are blessed with fantastic birds here, but crows, gulls, starlings and pigeons are not my favourites!

 

The trick is to cover and (re)move it each afternoon, when birds start to feed to carry themselves through till morning. If you do a patch each day, hopefully they will learn and be waiting(patiently) until your appearance. Starlings are quite intelligent and learn quickly. An old rug is ideal, or a blanket, something that resists being blown around.

 

There’s no chemical available for domestic use for grubs and while covering the ground works to a degree it’s not a cure. There are some experimental treatments but as yet not fully approved for leatherjackets but these are designed to not to kill but to get the larvae up to the surface.
I don’t know if they will ever show up on the domestic market though.