Hyderabad Bird Atlas to track house crow population amid concerns over decline

The Hyderabad Bird Atlas will begin a dedicated survey of house crows from July 4 amid concerns over their declining numbers in the city. Volunteers will document the species' population, habitat and behaviour across 180 locations within the Outer Ring Road.

Sangareddy: Usually bird watchers and wildlife photographers tend to ignore capturing the photographs of house crows and would not record its voice since they feel the bird is seen everywhere in day to day life.

The ignorance of studying house crows distribution and behaviour such is that even the most famous Merlin Bird ID mobile app, developed by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, will not help us in identifying the crows based on its voice. The app would need more than 100 focal recording of a particular bird to identify it, but the birdwatchers did not upload 100 records in the app since it was very commonly seen.
However, amid the complaints of its population decline in Hyderabad, the organisers of Hyderabad Bird Atlas (HBA) have decided to focus on its population, habitat and behaviour during the fourth phase of its survey, which would commence on July 4 across the state capital.

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A video of a man performing ‘pinda pradhana’ to a captive crow in Hyderabad went viral a few days ago on social media. The man was seen saying that he had found no alternative as his family could not attract any crows during the ‘pinda pradhana’ of a close relative.
Similarily, the bird rescuers, who would rescue birds entangled in nylon manja during the kite flying season every year, also observed that the number of birds they rescue have been increasing year-on-year, but for the crows.

Amid all these, the HBA has decided to capture the birds, and its habitats during the 22-day long survey in July. Sriram Reddy, convenor of HBA, said that they would conduct the survey at 180 locations within the boundaries of outer ring road (ORR).

Later, they would try to find out whether the crows were really vanishing from state capital or they were confined due to certain locations. However, he said that such surveys for three to four seasons would only help them to get the accurate data on its population, and habitat.

Why crows hold special significance in Hindu mythology and traditions

Crows hold deep cultural significance in Hindu mythology. The crow is the vehicle of Lord Shani, the lord of justice and karma. The bird is highly respected during ‘pinda pradhana’, as the kin of the deceased wait for it to devour the food offered. Crows command great respect as they are considered messengers of ancestors. The cawing of a crow is also considered a sign that unexpected guests are about to arrive.

However, a crow touching one’s head or body is considered a bad omen, though many rationalists term it a superstition. People believe that offering food to crows on Saturdays pacifies Lord Shani and brings stability and harmony to one’s life. They also believe that the cawing of a crow on the southern side of a house is a sign of potential disaster or misfortune. A flock of crows cawing or gathering on a roof without any apparent reason is seen as a warning of impending family disputes or financial trouble.