In Rochester, the holiday season is heralded by various cheerful events, but a more unusual winter tradition has emerged: the nightly spectacle of tens of thousands of crows roosting downtown. Each evening, around dusk, the city becomes a swirling cloud of cawing, jet-black crows, descending from miles away to escape the cold, creating a scene straight out of Alfred Hitchcock's classic film, 'The Birds.' The city’s efforts to drive them away have become an intriguing part of the festive atmosphere.
Wildlife experts estimate that as many as 20,000 crows gather to roost in downtown Rochester every night. This annual ritual started in 2012 when officials noticed the crows gathering en masse during the winter months. With the implementation of scare tactics, including the use of fireworks and laser lights, city officials, in collaboration with wildlife services, have sought to make the crows' presence a little less dominant, demonstrating a unique blend of urban wildlife management amidst holiday festivities.
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