Miscellaneous
Like clockwork, tens of thousands of crows, also known as a murder, come together this time of year for their own safety. They’re noticeable in downtown Rochester. Genesee Valley Audubon Society President June Summers said it's a way to protect themselves from predators, like owls. She said the crows are often distant relatives. “Crows come together in a winter roost, in numbers because it's safer,” said Summers. “In the spring and the summer they disperse and go out and nest, and take up territories in the rest of the county.” For most of the last decade, the birds have found their way downtown from their long time roost in Mount Hope Cemetery. Summers isn’t sure why they moved but mused that the heat from the pavement in the center of town may have attracted them. The birds have a distinct sound, smell and droppings, particularly noticeable around downtown buildings like the Geva theater, the ESL Headquarters and Frontier Field. Justin Gansowski, who works on wildlife conflicts for