Crook rooks: Crows stealing putty from famous Kerry glasshouses

The 19th-century glasshouses at Muckross House in Killarney are under attack from crows.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service is looking for solutions after crows have begun stealing the putty from the newly restored 19th-century glasshouses at Muckross House, Killarney.

Three years ago, the magnificent glasshouses in the walled garden alongside the restaurant were severely damaged in storms. 

Delicate restoration works took place to fix the roof, rotten timber, and glass panelling, but visitors noticed a population of rooks had started to take the putty used in the project.

The shiny black rooks are to Muckross almost what seagulls are to St Stephen’s Green in Dublin and will steal food from under the very noses of diners.

The cheeky rooks have to be regularly swept away from the outside dining area and diners’ sandwiches and tarts.

One of the theories locally is the smell of the linseed oil in the putty is attracting the crows to the glasshouses.

Niall Hatch of Birdwatch Ireland has put forward a further theory about the Muckross crows: they may well be eating the putty because of the linseed oil, but also because of boredom.

Part of me thinks the rooks are playing. They are incredibly intelligent and with intelligence comes boredom.

"All species of crows are very very smart and good at solving problems," he added.

Crows are on the international conservation red list of endangered species in much of Europe, where they have declined massively. The corvid population are healthy in this country so far and Ireland is one of the best places still to observe crows, Mr Hatch says.

The Department of Housing said its architects were monitoring the situation. The NPWS had "indeed, noticed that rooks are picking at the putty", a spokesman said.

"Firstly, we have the say that the NPWS is delighted to have been able to restore the glasshouses at Muckross to their former glory," a spokesman said.

"They are consulting with the conservation architect with regard to long-term solutions "that are both sympathetic to the building and have no negative impact on the birds".

"We will continue to monitor the activity on site."