Vermont officials install bird-call deterrents in Montpelier

Vermont state officials have installed noise-deterrent devices that play amplified bird calls outside the Pavilion Building in Montpelier. The building houses several high-level state offices, including those of Governor Phil Scott, the attorney general, and the state Supreme Court.

Secretary of Administration Sarah Clark and Governor Scott defended the decision, stating that previous attempts to manage the area—such as providing a porta-potty—failed to stop issues including human waste, needles, broken windows, and fires. Officials noted that the bird calls are intended to reduce nighttime occupancy by unsheltered individuals and discourage illegal activity without resorting to arrests.

Homelessness advocates have criticized the move, arguing that the devices simply push unhoused people away from an area where they have few alternative places to stay. In Montpelier, outreach workers recently counted 61 people living outdoors, while the city’s only year-round shelter has capacity for only 18 people.