Crows nesting on utility poles in Hokkaido: the cost of removal and the environmental characteristics of areas with many crow nests

Abstract

Urban crow nests built on electric utility poles sometimes cause power failure. In order to prevent such problems, utility companies conduct patrols and remove the nests. Using data provided from Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc. (HEPCO) on the number of nests removed, we conducted two analyses. First, we calculated the time spent by HEPCO removing crow nests — an estimated 19,656 hours per year. Second, we analyzed environmental factors affecting the number of crow nests on utility poles and found that the number of the nests increased in areas with larger human populations, higher temperatures and longer coastlines. Clarifying the mechanisms by which these factors cause increased crow nesting will contribute to the placement of anti-crow devices and the optimization of patrol routes.