Research Paper

Volume : 3 | Issue : 6 | June 2014 • ISSN No 2277 - 8179 Zoology Review on Eco-Biology of the House KEYWORDS : Distribution, Bio-ecology, Crow, Splendens (Vieillot, 1816), Corvus, Indian sub-continent (: Passeriformes)

* S. Ramakrishna Department of Zoology, Bangalore University, Bangalore-560056. * Corresponding Authoer Alexander R Ernst & Young LLP, Bangalore - 5600076 Deepak P Department of Zoology, Jyoti Nivas College (Autonomous), Bangalore - 560095 Jayashankar M Department of Entomology and Nematology, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore-560 089

ABSTRACT A concise review of the current status encompassing distribution and bio-ecology of the , Corvus splendens (Corvidae: Passeriformes) Vieillot, 1816 in the Indian sub-continent is presented in this article.

INTRODUCTION Crows are successful in establishing their population by overlap There are more than 9,000 species in the world of which breeding method. Most of the in the Corvidae family are in- 1,300 species or over 13% of the world’s bird species belong to telligent and it’s due to the large brain to body ratio compared to the Indian subcontinent (Grimmet et al., 2004). Crows (Corvi- other birds and equal to great apes and a bit lesser compared to dae: Passeriformes) are ubiquitous occurring in most climatic humans (www.birding.in).The young ones live with the parents zones. They are usually sedentary and do not migrate unless there is shortage of food (Robertson and Don, 2000), they mi- survive and since they are co-operative brooders they will learn for a long time during which they learn all the skills necessary to constant raucous cawing ‘caw, cah’ sound is the frequently heardgrate sound in large in the flocks urbanised (www.shades-of-night.com/aviary).The ecosystem. Crows, especially the GENETICSthe skills from any members of the group (Clayton et al., 2005). Indian common crow or the house crow (Corvus splendens) is an The chromosome number of the C. splendens indigenous species of the Indian sub-continent including parts of Afghanistan and and is usually seen in urban cit- 1980).White crow has been spotted in different is locations80 +/-. The at difsex- ies and it is one of the commonest birds encountered by people ferentdetermination times, e.g.Chennai mechanism and is Bhubaneshwarof ZZ and ZW (Mittal (TOI May and 21,Sakhuja, 2012 in most parts of . They are well adapted and highly intel- and Aug 21, 2013). lectual birds suiting the urban ecosystem. There are four resi- dent crow species in India viz., House Crow, C. splendens; Large- BEHAVIOUR billed Crow , C.macrorhynchos; C.culminates • Feeding: and C.levaillantii on everything and anything that is edible whether alive or dead. subspecies of Corvus splendens are: C. splendens splendens, C. The house crowsCrows are areomnivorous extremely in skilled nature in and feeding; hence theytheir feeddiet splendens zugmayeri, C. splendens protegatus(Gadgil,, C. 2001). splendens The mal five- includes fruits, grains, , small , and left edivicus and C. splendens insolens (www.avibase.bsc-eoc.org). According one estimate the crow population in India is assigned for their establishment in the urban areas. This scavanging bird to be around 34 million (Sen, 2011). In this review different over’s thrown by humans (garbage). This is the major reason aspects of the house crow are briefly dealt. andcan begarbage found dumps,in cities foragingdrinking forfreshwater scraps. They from alsoswimming feed on pools car- TAXONOMIC CLASSIFICATION and artificial ponds. These birds can be seen near marketplaces

Kingdom Animalia dailycass (Anil (Sen, Kumar, 2011) 2004). Adult birds regulary travel up to 20 km per day to known feeding areas and needs about 300g of food Phylum Chordata • Breeding and brooding: from April to June. Nests are located 4m or higher up in trees Class Aves and dense foliage is preferred. TheCommunal breeding/nesting nesting sites season are not is Order Passeriformes usual but it appears the house crow is adaptable (depending on locations and conditions). The bird usually lays 4-5 eggs which Family Corvidae Parental care is observed in both the sexes. As mentioned ear- Genus Corvus lierare palethe youngblue green ones instay colour for a with long browtime colourwith the speckles parents on and it. Species C. splendens they exhibit cooperative brooding. The Indian Koel (Eudynamys scolopacea) is a brood parasite of the house crow. IUCN Status Least concern • Intra-specific (Communal roost): Crows usually build MORPHOLOGY A detailed description of the external morphology of crows as entailed by Gadgil (2001) is as follows, crows are predominant- their nest in the trees, buildings or any artificial structures with sticks, wire, nail and coir or any fibre materials. The House predators.crows usually Sirsat roost and with Patil other(2013) birds studied like thethe communalJungle crow roost and- stiff,ly black, straight medium bristles sized that birds reach with almost tails to shorter the middle. than The the house wing Myna. They are usually benefited as they are protected from and graduated or rounded at the back. Their bills are stout with roosted along with the Mynas. Gadgil (2001) recorded the com- munaling behaviour roosting of behaviourbirds in Vaijapur. of the TheyC. Splendens reported with that the the Junglecrows distinguishedcrow has a dusky from gray the nape, house neck, crow upper by the breast absence and upperof any back, grey crow and Myna, were the House crows and Jungle crows shifted being glossy black over the rest of the body. The jungle crow is their roosting site from the Mynas and within four days the My- slightly larger (Rasmussen and Anderton 2005). on the hind neck and breast. Sexes are alike, with males being 488 IJSR - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH nas joined them. Research Paper

• Interspecific: Crows are very good at Mobbing (Gadgil, Volume : 3 | Issue : 6 | June 2014 • ISSN No et2277 al. - 2003).8179 In Japan, crows are considered to be a pest as they rip open They usually mob the predators in groups. They distract the en- reaching pest proportions in many areas (Brook 2001).They are known to attack dogs, cats and birds of prey. Himachal Pradesh they were a serious pest on almond crops garbage bags and take wire coat hangers for their nests. In GEOGRAPHICemy and steal their DISTRIBUTION food.(www.shades-of-night.com/aviary) other countries. The introduced birds are often considered to The house crow has established itself in at least 25 countries. be(Bhardwaj a serious 1991). problem They to prey that on ecosystem the many byindigenous causing ecologicalspecies in The House crow occurs in agricultural areas, coastland, desert, damage and pose as a threat to humans and wildlife (Feare and - - banestuarine areas, habitats, wetlands natural forests, planted forests, range/grass pestMungroo as they 1990). raid They on crops prey onsuch indigenous as Maize birdsand Sorghum by attacking (Lim and et lands, riparian zones, ruderal/disturbed, scrub/shrublands, ur alfeeding., 2003).In on their some chick countries and eggs. they They are consideredare a serious to agriculturalbe a vector The two most commonly found species in the urban areas are C. splen- Salmonella sp., Plesiomonas, enteropathic Escherichia coli, Shi- dens), is a common bird of Asian origin but found in many parts gellacarrying and major Aeromonas disease hydrophila causing agents (Ryall in 1992). their intestine,The birds such in the as theof the house world.They crow and are the closely jungle bound crow. toThe human House settlements Crow ( and introduced range are a threat to the biodiversity of that place hence are perfectly adapted to urban ecosystem (Goodwin as they become a competitor to the avifauna of that place and 1976; Feare and Mungroo 1990). Five subspecies have been re- also cause decline in the population of the native species due ported: C. splendens splendens, C. splendens zugmayeri (southern to their rapid population build up (Ryall, 1992). Due to the nest C. splen- raiding habit in its native range these species enter the species dens protegatus conserved area and pose a threat to them. The Indian Bustard andJammu nearby and islets),Kashmir, C. splendensPunjab and maledivicus western Rajasthan), (the ) and is one such species affected due to the nest raiding habit of the C. splendens insolens(coastal. C. splendens areas, Kerala, zugmayeri the Maldives, is also found Sri Lankain the dry parts of South and (Csurhes, 2010) name, ‘splendens - house crow (Ali and Rahmani, 1982-1983). The generic specific nuisance by many.’ is They latin alsotranslates cause toa nuisance brilliant -to a touristsdifficult andad localjective people to use with when their talking loud about calls crowsand arduous as they defecationare considered and steel food (ISSG.Org).

Vector: Indian house crows are suspected carriers of paramyxo viruses such as PMV 1, which can cause Newcastle disease (Roy

India were often preceded by mortality in Indian house crows (Blountet al. 1998). 1949). Outbreaks They also of carry Newcastle Cryptococcus disease neoformans experienced, bac in-

Figure1. Present global distribution of C.splendens (CABI, al. 2004). 2014) teria that can cause cryptococcosis in humans (Gokulshankar et = Widespread = Localised Scavenger and predator: Although considered as a pest around = Occasional or few reports the globe they play different ecological roles viz., predators, scav- = See regional map for distribution within the country engers and omnivore. They were introduced in many countries

INTRODUCTIONS AND INVASIONS ignored. They are essential organisms in the food chain. Usually They are considered to be a global pest as they are very notori- just to feed on the garbage; leftovers were lack of cleaning was corpses are thrown out on the streets and those corpses are fed According to GSID (2010) the House crows are considered to in India a common sighting is the road kills or human killed rat ous and cause serious trouble to other fauna, flora and humans. They are very much necessary for our urban ecosystem as they prediction model has been developed to identify the suitable cleanby these the crows. waste Thuswhich in wea way dump they in keep our thestreets. surrounding In a way clean. they habitatsbe the world’s of C.splendens most invasive (Csurhes, bird 2010). species. However, In Australia when a riskthe have learnt to survive in the urban ecosystem and are depend- crow was introduced in by 1897 they rapidly estab- ent on humans. Despite their scavenger niche, over population lished in other countries on the East-African coast and almost of these species can cause serious nuisance. In addition to the entire Indian Ocean Island states including Yemen.The house - crow’s dispersal is associated with accidental introductions impossible)ecological damage, and eating the cropshouse such crow as also maize inflict (Zea economic mays) and dam sor- Wells. 2007). The house crows were deliberately introduced ghumage by ( Sorghumpredating vulgare chicks )and (Lim eggs et al (making. 2003). free-ranging poultry intothrough others ships countries and deliberate mainly introductions to aid in cleaning (Brook the et al.,environ 2003;- ments especially the garbage (Feare and Mungroo 1990).Nyári Eco-cultural aspects: This species presents great ecological et al., - - Israel (2006)and Netherland. reported theThey first also cases studied of the the species dispersal breeding poten in- pendentlyflexibility, asof manwell (Nyárias an obligateet al., 2006). association with human pres temperate climatic regions like Arabian Peninsula region, Egypt, ence, to the extent that no populations are known to live inde- and equatorial Africa, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, ca) a white crow used to warn the buffalosIn mythology, about the folklore hunters and in andtialities parts and of predictedSouth America. its establishment Ryall (1994, in 2002) countries had likereported West thereligion: area andAccording in turn tothese the buffalosSioux (Dakota stampede people and of leave North the Ameri hunt- the sightings of individuals occasionally from around the world viz., Australia, Sumatra (Indonesia), B.I.O.T. (UKOT), Tangiers (Morocco), Gibraltar (UKOT), Florida (USA), Barbados, Punta ers hungry. So an angry Indian threw the bird into a fire which Arenas (Chile). The spread of the house crow has resulted from turned the white bird into black (http://www.crowbusters. both inadvertent introductions associated with increased global consideredcom/facts.htm). as human In India ancestors, crows usuallyare being during characterized a death anniver in the- et al. sarygeneral they literature feed the crows.and folktales. The origin In Hindu of river mythology Kaveri is alsocrows based are 2003). These distributional potential of the house crow may be on a myth that lord Ganesh transformed into a crow and poured insea the traffic process and oftrade shifting, and deliberategiven the current introductions global climate(Brook shift, which could broaden the species’ distributional potential at the to be a chariot of lord Saneeshwara. They are also portrayed in poleward limits (Nyári et al., 2006). manythe water scenarios from aof kamandal the myth ofThulsi Agastya. Ramayan. The crow According is considered to Bud- dhism the crows are represented in Dharmapala i.e. they are ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE Pest and nuisance: The house crow has successfully invaded tropical and subtropical regions well beyond its native range, Asprotector food and of Dharmapet: Crows (http://www.sushmajee.com). are not a part of the menu in India. They

IJSR - INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 489 Research Paper

Volume : 3 | Issue : 6 | June 2014 • ISSN No 2277 - 8179 might be considered as a meat product in some Western coun- • Establishment of regular control inspections at vulnerable tries. But in India there are rare occasions were the crow meat points of entrance and relevant locations in cities. is sold as pigeon meat or mix the meat with that of poultry meat • Keeping city environments clean (especially garbage elim- and sell them. Most of the hotels too are involved in the adulter- ation of meat. Several incidents have been reported, (The Hindu, of species of tree used for planting). 2004). A man in Tamil Nadu was arrested for feeding the crows • iniation) and modification of micro habitat (e.g. by selection- with poisoned beef which he sold as pigeon meat. Similarly in lings in breeding areas; shooting or trapping is of very lim- itedPhysical success methods as the like crows destruction are very ofsocial nests, and eggs highly and sensi nest- - tive to direct persecution. Bounty systems have had little sonBhubaneshwar and selling twothem persons to different were fastarrested food forcentres killing and more dhabas, than hundred crows by feeding them with fish waste mixed with poi income rather than eradication has been the main motiva- The crows are portrayed well in our Hindu customs, but still tion.significant impact on the control of the species as long term theywhich are used not considered these meats as as pets. chicken May be based in certain items countries (TBT, 2011). they • Chemical methods include, poisoning of birds with various might be considered as pets. However in India House crows are avicides has given good results when pre-baiting was un- not on the pet list of lovers. However, uncontrolled poisoning operations may affect CONSERVATION AND THREATS non-targetdertaken and wildlife, in conjunction the environment with sanitary and human improvements. resources In history the crows are considered to be a “despicable preda- (e.g. water). The detection and elimination of any survivors tor”. It is also said that King Henry VIII put a public bounty on (often widely dispersed) is labour intensive and costly but the crows as the people couldn’t bear the crow menace. During crucial to achieve long lasting results. House Crows are - dits” in America as they were looting the agricultural lands and introduced to Malaysia and Oman to control caterpillars peopleWorld Warshot IIthem these down crows regularly. were considered In 1940 a as total the of“black 3, 28,000 ban known to be useful in removing pests. They were, in fact,- troduced in the island of Zanzibar to clean up refuse or gar- bageand livestock (Sen, 2011). ticks. But, perhaps, the reason they were in html).crows The were house killed crow Illinois. causes To problems limit the across crow populationa range of areas, they shoot, trap and poison them (www.crowbusters.com/facts. From human perspective anything which causes damage or native avifauna. The aforesaid threat perception has led to the loss are considered as pest. The ubiquitous distribution of the includinginitiation ofcrop eradicating and livestock programmes sustainability listed below.and poses a risk to ecosystems. In conclusion, crows are integral part of the ecosys- Some of the preventive measures practiced in different coun- temspecies and mirrors they play its a potentialcritical role to adaptin the ecosystemand flourish as in a predator,different tries include,

• Avoidance of transport of birds by ship to ports and cities scavenger. Hence, it should be allowed to perpetuate like other outside its current area. species each with specific niches in the ecosystem.

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