Turkeys can be fun to watch, and they help to keep pests like slugs, snails and cockroaches out of the garden, but they can also behave aggressively, tear up landscaping in search of food, leave a mess on sidewalks and pose a traffic hazard when crossing busy streets.

To encourage peaceful coexistence with our large, feathered neighbors, please do not intentionally feed the turkeys. Turkeys are able to find appropriate food on their own. Statewide, the wild turkey population is healthy and thriving. Here are some other ways that you can help to reduce conflict with wild turkeys in your neighborhood and around town:

• Do not feed turkeys.
• If turkeys begin feeding under bird feeders, remove the feeders until the turkeys leave the area. This may take several days to weeks.
• If turkeys are causing problems in your yard, install motion-detecting sprinklers.
• Wild turkeys typically will not enter yards with dogs.
• If confronted by a wild turkey that has lost its fear of humans, an open umbrella or walking stick may help steer it out of your path. Turkeys rarely make aggressive physical contact with humans. Be assertive and dominant. Let that turkey know you're in control.
• Avoid sudden stops or swerves when encountering turkeys in the roadway. If safe to do so, slow down to 10 mph and proceed. The turkeys will move out of the way. 

In the fall, you may see large flocks of turkeys around town. This visibility is not because the wild turkey population has grown excessively. It's just that time of the year when local wild turkeys form large foraging groups (instead of roaming around alone or in smaller groups) and meander around wider sections of town. It can be quite a sight to see a large flock of 40 turkeys in your neighborhood!

Additional Resources

• State Wild Turkey Pamphlet
• Davis Wild Turkey Management Plan
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Strategic Plan for Wild Turkey Management 

Much joy can be had watching these busy little guys romp around. However, like their rodent cousin the rat, squirrels can cause damage around the house and in the garden.

• Do not feed squirrels (both tree and ground squirrels).
• Seal openings to the outside of a structure that are larger than ½-inch wide with concrete mortar, steel or copper wool or metal flashing (tree squirrels).
• Cover attic and foundation vents with ¼-inch wire mesh or heavy wire screen (tree squirrels).
• To protect fruit and nut trees, use squirrel guards made from sheet metal 18-24 inches wide around the trunk to prevent them from climbing up trees (both tree and ground squirrels).
• Deter squirrels by cutting back vegetation at least 8-feet from trees you wish to protect (both tree and ground squirrels).
• Prevent ground squirrels from tunneling into your garden by installing wire mesh 1-2 feet below plant beds (ground squirrels).
• Motion activated sprinklers (ex. Scarecrow®) have proven very effective at deterring squirrels and other unwanted animals (both tree and ground squirrels).

Additional Resources

• UC IPM: California Ground Squirrel
• UC IPM: Tree Squirrels

Raccoons and skunks, like humans, are constantly tending to their basic needs for food and shelter. They find both near our homes. If you see them around your home, they are probably in search of food. Raccoons and skunks are usually not aggressive unless they are sick, threatened or have young that are being threatened. Here are some tips for reducing the possibility of negative interactions with raccoons and skunks:

• Do not feed raccoons or skunks.
• To raccoon-proof a garbage can, fasten the lid securely with rope, bungee cords, chain or a heavy object.
• Remove cover by closing off openings under the house, decks and sheds. Cover or otherwise enclose woodpiles. 
• Use key-activated pet doors to prevent raccoons from entering.
• Sprinkle lawns or planters with cayenne pepper to discourage grub hunting. Control grub populations so that raccoons or skunks will not be drawn to your lawn in the first place. Organic grub control products work very well.
• Motion-activated sprinklers (ex. Scarecrow®) have proven very effective at deterring raccoons, skunks and other unwanted animals.
• Fasten bird netting over garden plants. It is easier for raccoons or skunks to dig elsewhere than to remove the netting.
• Skunks typically crawl under barriers, but raccoons are great climbers. Improve existing fences by enclosing any open area between the bottom of the fence and the ground, or install fence extenders facing outward at a 45-degree angle on top of each post with two or three strands of wire strung between them.
• If the area is fairly small, try sinking jars filled with ammonia into the ground with sponges as wicks. Be sure the jars are anchored in the soil to prevent spilling. Try hanging socks filled with mothballs.
• Skunks are generally calm animals, but will spray when startled or threatened. Turn on outside lights and make noise before entering the yard. This will alert the skunk to your presence and encourage it to avoid conflict and leave. 
• Ensure that back yard chickens are protected at night within a sturdy coop.

Additional Resources

• UC IPM: Skunks
• UC IPM: Raccoons
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Raccoons

Coyotes are common throughout North America. In Davis, it's common to see coyotes near urban/ agriculture interfaces. You may see and hear them more during their mating season (December-February) and when juveniles are dispersing from family groups (September-November).

The following facts and safety tips will help increase comfort and decrease conflicts when living near America’s native “Song Dog.”

• DON’T FEED COYOTES. Their lives and your safety depend on coyotes remaining wild and naturally wary of people.
• Remove attractants by picking up trash, securing garbage and feeding pets inside. Don’t leave food or pets outside at night. Coyotes can capture and eat small pets.
• Walk dogs on leashes (it's the law in most areas ), especially during pup-rearing season (April-August). Pick up your small dog if you see a coyote, and don’t let pets roam.
• If approached, don’t run. Wave arms, make noise and walk toward the coyote until they retreat. Be “Big, Bad and Loud.”
• Avoid areas where coyotes may be denning or feeding/hiding pups.
• Appreciate coyotes from a distance.
• Share this information with family and friends.

The Benefits of Local Coyote Populations

Coyotes are considered an apex predator which contribute to maintaining the health of an ecological system. Apex predators help to regulate the populations of other species that, in high numbers, may harm the ecological function of local habitat areas or become a nuisance to adjacent residential or agricultural areas. Such species include hares, rabbits, mice, rats, raccoons, skunks, feral cats, wild turkeys and Canada geese.

Are Coyotes A Threat to Your Safety?

Coyotes naturally view humans as a threat and avoid them, rarely attacking them.  Even more rarely do such attacks result in death.    Coyotes that have habituated to human presence via direct (handouts) or indirect (pets, garbage, pet food, etc.) feeding may become more aggressive toward humans. Such animals require hazing (i.e. scare conditioning) to reestablish their fear of humans. The only mechanism to address coyotes that become overly aggressive and/ or attack humans is lethal removal. Coyotes cannot be relocated.   Wild animals, including coyotes, cannot be released to another (maybe less populated) location because they may return or present a similar problem to someone else. Release of animals is also a major factor in the dissemination of numerous diseases to other animals including pets and humans.
Coyotes view small pets as potential food, and will enter urban areas in search of food when resources are available. Such activity is especially common near the urban to open space interface. Pet owners who are concerned about their pet being eaten by a coyote should take precaution by not allowing their pets to roam freely at night. Keeping animals indoors at night also prevents them becoming prey of another wild or domestic animal, or accidents with vehicles. 

How does the City respond to coyote sightings?

The City's Coyote Management and Coexistence plan identifies four levels of incidents with coyotes and the appropriate management action(s):

• Level 1: A coyote that has been involved in an investigated and documented unprovoked attack on a human.
  • Action - Targeted education and hazing needed, public awareness of incident and circumstances discussed. Lethal response may be appropriate.
• Level 2: A coyote that has been involved in an investigated and documented provoked attack on a human with no pet involved.
  • Action - Evaluate circumstances and human safety, provide education and hazing training, enhance public awareness of incident and circumstances. Lethal response may be appropriate.
• Level 3: A coyote is involved in an incident(s) and/or preys on attended domestic animals.
  
  • Action - Monitor coyote behavior. Education and hazing needed, public awareness of incident and circumstances discussed.
• Level 4: A coyote appears to frequently associate with humans or human related food sources, exhibits little wariness of people, and/ or preys on unattended domestic animals.
  
  • Action - Monitor coyote behavior and implement hazing if needed. Education and public awareness of incident and circumstances discussed. 

Additional Resources

• Davis Coyote Management and Coexistence Plan
• Coyote Hazing Guide
• Coyote Awareness Flyer
• Project Coyote

Nests on buildings 

Having a bird nesting in your yard can be a wonderful experience, but unless the nest is very close to your home, you may not realize that the nest and young birds can be very messy. A nest in a tree in your yard can have a very different impact than a nest above your front door or on the eave of your house above a window. Nesting materials such as hay, feathers, hair, mud or grass can be littered around the area. While this may be less noticeable in your yard, it might not be desirable right by your front door. Nestling birds leave behind a lot of poop and many nestling birds aim when they defecate so that their poop goes out of the nest. 

Some birds, like swallows and pigeons, can create whole colonies of nests overtime, amplifying the impact so that the mess and noise can become unpleasant if it’s near open windows or doorways.

Cliff Swallows

Barn Swallows

Pigeons

While bird song is enjoyable to hear, early morning, singing or cooing right outside your window might not be your favorite way to wake up. Some birds are also noisy when they fly. Flocks of pigeons nesting on your roof can make quite a racket when they take off and land.

We share our neighborhood with birds, but if having birds nest on your home is troublesome, you can limit their impact by keeping them from building nests on your home to begin with. It is important to note that all bird nests are protected by law. The only legal way (in California) to keep bird nests off your home is to deploy deterrents that prevent nests from being built in the first place.  Once an egg has been laid in a nest, a homeowner or business with an undesirable nest is required to wait until after the breeding season to remove the nest. Here are some tips to deter nesting:  

• Install visual deterrents, such as strips of metallic ribbon, old CDs or DVDs or predatory mimics (ex. decoy owls or Terror Eyes®), to locations were birds build nests. Note that predatory mimics have limited effectiveness if not moved to a new location every two to three days. 
• Install small wire mesh along eves or terracotta style roofing tiles.
• To deter pigeons from nesting under solar panels on your roof, install wire mesh under the solar panels to exclude them.
• Be vigilant about swallow nest building activity in the early spring. Use a hose to wash down partially constructed nests on a daily basis.

Additional Resources

• UC IPM: cliff swallows
• UC IPM: Bird damage to vines and tree fruits

Like turkey and other urban wildlife, crows can be very interesting to observe. They are typically spread out across the region during the nesting season but can form large, noisy and messy roosting colonies in local trees during the fall and winter. To help prevent a crow colony from using your tree:

• Install visual deterrents, such as strips of metallic ribbon, old CDs or DVDs or predatory mimics (ex. Terror Eyes®), to upper branches of roost tree.
• Spray a high-pressure hose up into a tree at roost time to keep crows on the move. This may need to be done nightly for a little while to eventually break their habitat of using your tree.
• Make noise and shine lasers into the roost as birds arrive.

Additional Resources

• Cornell University information on crows
• UCD IPM: Birds on tree fruits and vines

As a significant predator of night-time flying insects, bats play a vital role in our local and regional ecosystem. A single female Mexican free-tailed bat can consume her weight in insects in a single night. An entire maternal colony can consume thousands of tons of insects in a single night. That being said, interactions between humans and bats can have challenging consequences. Below are some interactions that can occur, and what you can do to safely address the situation.

Bats trapped in a house

• Never touch a bat. They may be sick or injured and a bite can transmit deadly diseases.
• If a bat is found in your home, open as many doors and windows as possible. Bats will typically fly out on their own.
• If the bat does not fly out, place a shoe box over the bat and up against the wall. Then slide a piece of cardboard between the box and wall to contain the bat. Take the captured bat outside, set the box on an elevated platform and remove the lid.

Bats roosting in a crevice on a house

If the bats are roosting in a cavity on the outside of the structure, consider letting them stay. However, if you must evict the bats do so only during the non-breeding season (breeding occurs from March through August) by:  

• Installing 1/16-inch flexible mesh over the crevice and staple the top and sides. Leave 18 - 20 inches of open netting below the crevice opening. Bats will be able to leave from the bottom of the netting and will not be able to return.
• Leave the netting in place for 48 hours, then remove and seal the crevice.

Bats roosting under a porch overhang

• Attach mylar balloon or mylar strips under the overhang. This is most effective if a breeze is able to move the mylar.
• Non-toxic cat and dog repellent can be applied, but only when bats are absent.

Bats found dead in the yard

• Never handle a dead bat with bare hands. Wear gloves and use a small shovel or similar tool to move the dead bat.
• If a person or pet has been exposed to a bite, scratch or saliva from a dead or live bat, contact the Yolo County Department of Health
• Place the dead bat in a plastic bag, then place that bag inside another plastic bag and dispose of it in a trash container or put it on ice and contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wildlife Health Laboratory for testing.  

Additional Resources

• Bat Boxes
• UC IPM: Bats
• Sick or Injured Bats