Bloomington Parking Meters Besieged With Crow Droppings

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — The city of Bloomington is ramping up its defenses against a virulent menace: crow droppings.

Hundreds of crows settling in trees around the Monroe County Courthouse square in Bloomington have caused havoc in recent weeks by coating the area with droppings, in particular bombarding cars and parking meters.

Bloomington police Capt. Joe Qualters tells The Herald-Times that the city this week started to use old street signs to protect the parking meters, at a cost of less than $15 per meter.

Crews identified 16 meters as routine targets for the birds.

Qualters says parking enforcement manager Raye Ann Cox came up with the inexpensive way to address the unsanitary situation.