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Debate over Action towards Cultivation or Destruction of Seeds

Crows engage in protective behavior or cause shooting.

Sparrows feast on cherries, strawberries, sugar beet seedlings, and corn cobs (Historical Image)
Sparrows feast on cherries, strawberries, sugar beet seedlings, and corn cobs (Historical Image)

Crowander Conflicts: Struggling with Corn Crows in Rhineland-Palatinate

Crows engage in protective behavior or use projectiles (usually rocks). - Debate over Action towards Cultivation or Destruction of Seeds

Corn crows, renowned for their social nature and exceptional intelligence, are a protected species in Germany, but they're sparking frustration amongst Rhineland-Palatinate farmers. With their diet consisting of cherries, strawberries, and farm seedlings, these feathered foragers wreak havoc on agricultural crops.

Farmers' associations claim the damage caused by crows is escalating, with Rhineland-Palatinate experiencing annual losses in the six-digit range, particularly in the Rheinhessen region. Though farmers can acquire permits to shoot crows in extraordinary cases with specific time frames, they deem these regulations inadequate for safeguarding their crops.

Farmers cry foul

These regulations, branded as too laborious, too regional, and ineffective, receive criticism from Rhineland-Palatinate South and Rhineland-Nassau farmers and winemakers associations. Consequently, they push for lowering the protection status of the birds to allow for more shooting opportunities. Natural predators such as birds of prey have been unable to maintain balance in the crow population. Measures like noise devices, stationary scarecrows, and moving ribbons haven't resulted in long-term success, according to farmers.

"It's not about eradicating the population to a point where it ceases to cause harm," explains a spokesperson for the Rhineland-Palatinate South farmers and winemakers association. "It's about shooting individual birds to impact the behavior of the others."

Compensation concerns linger

If the state government insists on maintaining the protection status of corn crows, the issue of compensation must be addressed. Farmers' associations demand full compensation for agriculture-related damage. "Something must be done," warns an association spokesperson.

In 2021, crow colonies comprising over 1,000 breeding pairs were reported in some areas, most notably in Rheinhessen, the Vorderpfalz, and the Zweibrücken region. The estimated total number of breeding pairs in Rhineland-Palatinate was around 12,500, with an average winter population of 16,000 birds. City and town-dwelling residents also voiced concerns over the birds' noisy calls, droppings, and nest debris.

Shooting with a permit in designated times

Due to the surge in crow numbers, Climate Protection Minister Katrin Eder (Greens) and the state bird protection authority published a guideline for farmers and city residents. There is a reporting portal for crow-related damages. In an "Allgemeinverfügung," the permit for shooting crows has been simplified for farmers in exceptional cases.

Exceptions for culling, referred to in jargon as lethal deterrence, resulted in 54 permits issued in 2024, leading to the killing of approximately 100 to 200 starlings. A simplification of the permit process was created in the spring for particularly affected regions, as well as sugar beets and cherries, despite legal resistance from an environmental initiative.

This year, there have been 53 applications from businesses following the previous application procedure, according to the Green politician. Under the general decree, 3 crows and 15 starlings have been shot so far.

environmentalists push back

The Rhineland-Palatinate state association of the German Environmental and Nature Conservation Association (BUND) views the simplification of the culling permit process critically and insists on animal protection. The BUND experts advocate for alternative measures for deterrence, including nets, blank shots, and mulch sowing to avoid overlooking these methods. An evaluation of protective measures by neutral experts is demanded.

  1. In light of the ongoing conflict between Rhineland-Palatinate farmers and corn crows, some community and employment policies may need to be reevaluated to address farmers' concerns about ineffective regulations and compensation for crop damage.
  2. The dichotomy between farmers' demands for lowering corn crow protection status and environmentalists' calls for animal protection reflects the need for multidisciplinary policies that consider not only science and finance but also environmental-science and sports, given the impact of noise levels and the potential implications for local biodiversity and ecosystems.

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