Editor’s Note: Campus Findings is a weekly column about things on campus that trigger the curiosity of the Iowa State community. Carrie Sutton, junior in journalism and mass communication, will investigate the inquires each week and post her findings. Submit inquires to [email protected].

Snow isn’t the only thing white and wet that falls on Iowa State students this time of year — crows also make deposits that students won’t soon forget.

Dennis Erickson, manager of Campus Services, said the crows and the mess they make are a problem throughout the winter, but they usually move out in March.

“We’ve had this problem for a long time,” he said.

Erickson said ISU is not the only area that has problems with the crow population. He said ISU looks around the country to see what other people are doing to control the problem.

The City of Des Moines uses propane canons to scare the crows away, Erickson said. He said propane canons are tubes containing propane that make a loud bang.

“We’re reluctant to use those, but we may have to in the future,” he said.

Erickson said ISU uses scare-eye balloons, taped crow distress calls and yellow strobe lights to scare the crows.

“None [of these strategies] is that effective,” he said.

Scare-eye balloons are large balloons with eyes on them that are placed in the tops of trees around campus, Erickson said.

He said the balloons are not always effective because they often are lost in the wind.

The distress-call tapes are recordings of crows that are scared or are in danger.

“[The tapes tell the crows that] a crow is in trouble so don’t land there,” Erickson said.

Erickson said last year Campus Services employees drove the tapes around campus in the back of trucks.

This year, the six tapes are set on timers and are located on several buildings, including Carver and MacKay Halls and the Forker Building. He said the tapes are moved periodically because the crows get used to the sounds and are no longer afraid.

“They’re very adaptable. They get used to humans,” Erickson said. “That’s why they’re increasing [in number around ISU].”

Some students have doubts about the crow removal tactics.

“I wonder if they’re that effective,” said Brad Temeyer, sophomore in meteorology.

Erickson said the tapes work to a certain degree, but sometimes Campus Services employees resort to smacking boards together to make loud noises.

“We don’t want to scare them totally off,” he said.

Erickson said the crows mostly have been concentrated in the playing fields and in the 13th Street pasture, but Temeyer said several places on campus also are infested.

“They’re really bad near Oak/Elm. The sidewalks are white and black,” Temeyer said. “I always see people running under the trees with their hands over their heads.”

Erickson said he did not realize the crows were roosting near Oak and Elm Halls, but he would “get right on it.” He said the mess left on the sidewalks can be washed or swept away.

“We see most of it and catch it, but we don’t always,” he said. “We try to get them before they’re entrenched in the campus.

“We feel this non-invasive approach is best,” Erickson said.