Hawks are among the unconventional methods being used in certain parts of Japan to drive away crows and other pests that spread garbage in residential areas or damage farmers' crops.
About a year ago, a building management company in Kobe that was long troubled by pigeon droppings around one of its condominium buildings sought help from Green Field Co., a bird pest-control company in Osaka.
Green Field sent out a falconer on a regular basis to fly a trained hawk around a building to chase away the unwanted birds.