Hawk Caprice deters local birds at Burnaby eco-centre

Caprice, a Harris's hawk, works at the Burnaby eco-centre to deter crows and gulls attracted to compost. Her presence prevents these birds from causing messes in the area, a problem that began when the city started compost collection over a decade ago. Caprice patrols the centre from Monday to Thursday under the supervision of her handler, Laura Lankford. The hawk's role is to keep local birds away without preying on them, simply by being present. Other cities, like Coquitlam and Toronto, have also used birds of prey for similar purposes. Caprice's work helps maintain cleanliness at the eco-centre, where compost is dropped off regularly.