Crows hold significant importance in India across various dimensions, deeply embedded in the cultural, ecological, and social fabric of the country.
Crow are known as common bird in India however there is some big news about as our research we notice decrease in population of crows due to many known reasons, however from last year in Shradh Ceremony month we find real difference and find a drastic decrease in their population from last 1 year, we find it’s rare to find and we find in some places or states they are extinct, most people if observer can see no crow exist in their surroundings, which is like a disaster in our country due to our culture and their importance in our society, there are reasons below it but before let’s understand their importance :
1. Cultural and Religious Significance
Ancestral Rituals: During Shradh ceremonies in annual Pitra Paksha ( a 16 day period dedicated according to hindu rituals honoring ancestors) start in september 2025, crows are believed to embody the souls of the departed. Offering food (Pinda) to crows is considered a way to appease ancestors, symbolizing their acceptance if the crows consume the food.
Mythology and Deities :
Crows are associated with Shani Dev, the God of Justice and Karma, serving as his vahana (vehicle) and messengers, It is believed that feeding crows can help mitigate the negative effects of Shani dosha (Shani Dev’s influence in astrology).
Crows are thought to carry messages between the living and the dead, making them symbols of transition and omens in Hindu beliefs.
The epic Mahabharata mentions crows as advisors to characters like Kakbhushundi, a sage transformed into a crow.
Folklore and Stories : The Panchatantra and Jataka Tales often highlight crow intelligence, such as the story of a crow using pebbles to raise water levels in a pitcher.
2. Ecological Role
Scavengers and Cleaners : Crows help manage organic waste in urban and rural areas, consuming carrion, food scraps, and pests. This role is crucial in regions with limited waste management infrastructure.
Pest Control : They regulate insect and rodent populations, benefiting agriculture, though they occasionally raid crops, causing conflicts.
Indicators of Ecosystem Health : Their presence often signals ecological balance, though urban adaptability can mask environmental issues.
3. Social Perceptions
Mixed Views : Revered for their ritualistic roles and intelligence, crows are also seen as nuisances due to noise, garbage scattering, and occasional aggression during nesting.
Symbolism : Represent resilience and adaptability, thriving in diverse environments from cities to forests. They appear in art and literature as symbols of both wisdom and mischief.
4. Scientific Interest
Intelligence Studies : Indian crows (e.g., house crows, jungle crows) are noted for problem-solving skills, tool use, and memory. Research on their cognition contributes to global understanding of avian intelligence.
Urban Adaptation : Studies focus on their ability to thrive in human-altered landscapes, offering insights into wildlife coexistence with urbanization.
Reason for Extinction of Crows :
5G internet Radio waves from Towers :
We find that there are significant decrease in population of crows make them extinct in last 6 months, our sources told it can be due to waves from internet towers that affecting all life like many birds died after 2G, 3G and 4G Network towers affecting the birds, there are some data telling other life forms also affected by it.
Habitat Loss and Urbanization :
A significant decrease in their natural places like trees also Decreasing spaces due to large glass buildings which limit their nesting opportunities.
Pollution and toxins :
Chemicals and pesticides are now become part of our and their food chain, rodent poison that kill rodents kill crows after eating these food get poison by it, pollution in our environment like heavy metal in water sources affected them decreasing their population.
Disease and Climate change :
Viruses like Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) and West Nile Virus have caused mass mortality in bird population in World, overcrowding in cities spread some diseases in birds from human and Unpredictable monsoons, cold and heatwaves disrupt breeding cycles and reduce insect populations which also affecting birds.
Decline in food availability :
Due to urbanization, cutting of forest and decrease in crop lands the food sources are Decreasing for all insects, birds and other animals daily.
Human Prosecution and Competition :
Noise, scavenging, and occasional aggression during nesting seasons lead to crows being chased or killed, Poorly insulated power lines and transformers in urban areas cause frequent electrocution deaths and species like mynas, parakeets, and feral pigeons compete with crows for nesting sites and food.
Conclusion: crows are parts of our society and crows in India are a nexus of tradition, ecology, and modernity. Their roles in rituals, waste management, and folklore underscore their enduring legacy, while their intelligence and adaptability make them subjects of scientific fascination. Balancing their ecological benefits with urban challenges remains key to their coexistence with humans, but now they become very rare on the path of extinction and we think crows will extinct in near future and disturb our working of society but the sad thing is no notice and gave importance to this matter, we hope things change before we are unable to change anything.
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