(La Porte, IN) - A new solution for crows roosting outside the courthouse in La Porte could be on the way.

 

The plan is to hang wind chimes in the trees on the courthouse lawn.

 

Larry Levandowski, who’s head of maintenance for La Porte County government, said noise makers that only crows can hear worked about a year ago to scare away the birds and keep them away.

 

However, Levandowski said the birds a few months ago started coming back in droves after becoming used to the sound and no longer afraid.  He said the dog whistle like devices remained on after the crows left just in case they tried venturing back to roost in the trees.

 

Levandowski said the wind chimes will produce a different sound and hopefully scare them away again.

 

A tiny light will also be installed to reflect off the metal in the wind chimes to enhance the fear they might feel from the noise.

 

“Through our research we found this is something that actually deters them,” he said.

 

Levandowski said the plan is to rotate the two noise makers every season so the birds won’t get used to each sound and stay away permanently.

 

“We’re going to try and alternate the things that we do,” he said.

 

Heavy amounts of crow droppings on the courthouse and sidewalks have generated a lot of complaints recently from people like Commissioner Joe Haney, who believes the bird waste in such heavy volumes poses a health hazard.