News
No drastic increase in city crows in spite of garbage issues
View(s):By Malaka Rodrigo
Yesterday marked International Crow Appreciation Day.
Belonging to the bird family Corvidae, crows and ravens hold symbolic meanings across cultures, signifying intelligence, mystery, and even magic. They are often found in tales, myths, and legends. Although this day lacks wide recognition, Professor Nihal Dayawansa of the Department of Zoology at the University of Colombo says it is important to draw attention to these intriguing creatures.
Professor Dayawansa, who has been conducting a study on the crow population in Colombo, highlights the bird’s role as an environmental indicator. Since 1970, this study has monitored roost counts to observe population fluctuations, revealing a correlation between crow populations and open garbage dumps in the city. Communal roosting behaviour, where crows gather in large numbers on specific trees, was observed, with researchers estimating the local crow population through dusk roost counts.
The population saw significant changes, with counts increasing from 50,000 in 1980 to a peak of 124,300 in 2006 before declining to 98,350 in 2012, potentially due to Colombo’s beautification projects that saw the reduction of garbage dumps. Despite recent garbage management challenges, there hasn’t been a drastic increase in crow numbers. Professor Dayawansa says climate change and zoonotic diseases could be affecting the population of crows.
Sri Lanka is home to two crow species: the large-billed crow and the house crow; the latter being more abundant in cities. Colombo’s crow colonies primarily consist of house crows, while large-billed crows are less prevalent. These crows typically select large roadside trees for roosting, sometimes sharing the site with common mynahs. However, some large roosts observed previously have dwindled over time.
Among Sri Lanka’s bird species, only seven are not legally protected, including the two crow species, which are considered pests by many. This underscores the importance of understanding and managing crow populations in urban environments like Colombo.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!