Every year Kathmandu celebrates Kaag Tihar — Crow Day, when the birds are revered as messengers of the god of death, Yama, and are offered food and garlands. This year, however, the festival took place against a backdrop of growing discontent among city residents: crows are increasingly seen as a source of problems rather than as useful neighbours.
The reasons lie in the city's rapid growth. Over recent decades, Kathmandu's urbanised area has more than doubled, while green spaces have shrunk by almost half. Old trees are felled as roads are widened, and the birds are forced to nest on wires and poles. The abundance of food waste at landfills and near butcher shops gives crows easy access to food, allowing them to thrive where other species retreat.
House crows (Corvus splendens) have become one of the most numerous birds in the valley. Studies show that they dominate urban areas, displacing more specialised birds. Ecologists note that crows play an important role as nature's scavengers, eating carrion and waste, but it is human activity — poor waste disposal and habitat loss — that makes their presence more noticeable and more problematic.
Additional tension arose after an outbreak of avian influenza at Kathmandu's central zoo, where wild crows were suspected of spreading the virus. Veterinarians emphasise that crows occupy a special ecological niche, moving easily between landfills, farms and residential areas, yet the root of the problem lies not with the birds but with the lack of planning and waste control.
Local activists such as the folk singer Ramesh Dulal hold a "crow conference" every year, imitating the birds' calls and reminding people of their cultural and ecological significance. City authorities promise to protect existing trees and diversify plantings, but so far overall waste management measures remain inadequate.
Preserving balance in the urban ecosystem requires not a fight against crows but a change in habits: better waste disposal and the planting of diverse trees instead of monocultures.
