I live in Geneva and my yard backs up to a wetlands area. There is a family of cranes that live there and they are becoming an annoyance to me and my yard. Every day, they come into my yard, peck on my windows (they see their reflections) and they dig up my flower beds. I have tried to shoo them away, but the male gets aggressive and they are not afraid of me. They will come to within 3 feet of me. My neighbor down the street use to FEED THEM on her deck and now they're somewhat domesticated. Is there anything I can do to try to keep them out of my yard?

This response was provided by Darryl Coates, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, District Wildlife Biologist.

Here are some suggestions to help with the problem. Habitat Modification: Plant tall native warm season grasses at the water’s edge. The planting should be a minimum of 10 feet wide and limit mowing. Exclusion: Use poultry wire at the water’s edge. If financially feasible, fence off your yard. Frightening devices: A dog (border collie) can be used to scare the birds away, but the dog should not be allowed to make contact with the birds. Using a water sprinkler may also scare the birds away from your yard. For more information, you may want to contact the District Wildlife Biologist in Kane County, Ray Eisbrener. You can find his contact information by going to the 'Find a Professional' page on this website, click on 'Find Your District Wildlife Biologist', and type in Kane County. Thanks for writing.