Flocks of crows are creating such a nuisance in downtown Hanford that the city is bringing in falcons and other raptors to drive them off.

“I just urge you, please, to do something about the droppings,” Michelle Brown said in a plea to the city council. “They’re worse than ever in our main downtown core — Seventh Street, Irwin and Douty.” Brown is executive director of Main Street Hanford, a local business organization.

In a unanimous vote, the council agreed to fund a year-long falconry-based bird abatement program from Integrated Avian Solutions.

The company uses trained raptors like hawks and falcons to intimidate and scare away nuisance birds, like crows.

Brown said she’s gotten a lot of calls from local business owners. She said some restaurants are trying to have outdoor dining and servers are literally dealing with crow droppings falling on them as they take orders.

The point of the program is not to eliminate the crows, but disperse them from unhealthy high concentrations, company officials said.

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