The War Against Crows And Magpies

In June 1944, a war was raging across the planet. There was the War in Europe, fought primarily against Germany, and the War in the Pacific, against Japan.

It was a trying time for many people who worried about their family members caught in the cross fires of the war.

But there was also a war happening in Vermilion.

It wasn’t against some great nation, but against birds.

In the spring and summer of 1944, a campaign to reduce the number of crows and magpies in the area began. It was initiated by the Vermilion branch of the Alberta Fish and Game Protective League.

The campaign by June had already gathered 2,350 crow and magpie eggs. An additional 583 pairs of legs had been turned in to James Swanson, who was paying the bounty as part of the campaign. Most of the eggs and legs had been turned in by boys in the countryside and in town. There were also many men in the area who were bringing in eggs from nests they have found. A few even climbed some trees to get the eggs and turn them in for a reward.

By the end of June, it was stated there wasn’t a crow or magpie nest to be found in the area with an egg in it.

The Edmonton Journal reported,

“It is the general feeling of those who have taken part in it that the campaign to reduce the number of crows and magpies should be continued the year round.”

Campaigns to remove the populations of magpies and crows would continue for years to come before the practice ended. Today, it is accepted that crows and magpies play an important role in the local ecosystem and destroying their population has far reaching consequences on the environment.

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