More scientific studies should be carried out to effectively monitor the crow population at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and to look at ways to better manage it (Trouble flocks to Sungei Buloh reserve; May 16).

The National Parks Board could work with researchers from universities and nature groups to better understand the birds and their behaviour change.

Perhaps habitat loss is the reason for them having to find alternative roosting areas.

Advisories should be placed within the reserve to warn the public not to interact with or feed the crows, and to dispose of their litter in a considerate manner.

The reserve should also have wildlife-secured bins that prevent them from foraging in the bins.

This would prevent the scavengers from becoming dependent on people for food and conditioned to take up permanent residency at the reserve.

Strategic measures such as pruning trees to eliminate dead branches which crows roost on, having air horns to repel crows, or coating surfaces with wildlife-friendly gel to prevent crows from nesting, would induce the crows to move away from the reserve.

The removal of crow roosts and nests around the area is a good step, as is planting more trees for the reserve's native birds to roost.

Wildlife monitoring, such as tagging, would be vital in keeping an eye on the crow population and in enabling the authorities to work with nature enthusiasts and researchers to implement humane control measures.

Darren Chan Keng Leong