On Monday, the city of Rochester will start its wildlife management program to disperse a winter roost of 20,000 to 30,000 crows.

Wildlife biologists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services Program will break up the roost with the use of pyrotechnics, spotlights, lasers and amplified electronic recordings of crow distress calls.

These harassment methods will not harm the birds. Management efforts will begin at 5 p.m. at Washington Square Park and continue through the night.

The initial phase will conclude about 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 21. Follow-ups will then be conducted to keep the birds from re-establishing a large roost.

The goal of this effort is to break up and disperse the large roost from the downtown area and minimize the damage associated with the high concentrations of crows.

Once the methods are in progress, the crows will disperse into smaller groups that will spread out over a broader area, reducing the crows’ damage and mess.

City and Wildlife Services representatives recognize the management project techniques may be disruptive and respectfully request public cooperation as crews work throughout the city.

Residents are asked to assist the effort by calling 311 (428-5990 outside city limits) to report the locations of large groups of crows.