Bell Tower Bird Deterrent: Crows Repelled at Collegiata Church

Yesterday morning, people in piazza Tre Novembre looked up in awe at the spectacular “ant-crow” operation. To draw the attention of passersby and curious onlookers, a very long arm of a crane from a specialized company was mounted on a truck, reaching the apex of the tall bell tower of the Collegiata.

Interventions on the bell tower

At the top of the mechanical device was a suspended platform with a few people. They were technicians from a company working to replace an electronic system for anti-crows, which, some time ago, had been rendered inoperable by lightning.

The equipment emits sound electromagnetic waves that scare away birds, keeping them at a safe distance from the seventeenth-century artistic church.

Treatments to repel crows

The workers continued their task by spraying a special liquid onto the large façade, which deters the crows. For reasons of aesthetics, the Sovrintendenza provinciale ai beni culturali does not permit the placement of iron spires on the external flat surfaces of the sacred building, which are typically used on houses to prevent birds from perching.

Problems caused by the presence of crows

The excessive presence of crows, which have made the Collegiata their home, remains a serious unresolved issue. Sound waves and spray liquids help limit, but do not eliminate, this troubling invasion.

There is a real danger that droppings could cause significant damage to the exterior of the church, potentially undoing the recent restoration of the parish church that cost several billion lire.

This nauseating presence is particularly problematic at the top of the bell tower (in some areas, it can be over ten centimeters thick), causing clear obstructions to the maintenance of the bells.