The importance and impacts of crows, with empasis on hooded crow (Corvus cornix), in the (sub)urban environment

Boštjan Pokorny and Katarina Flajšman and Ida Jelenko (2014) The importance and impacts of crows, with empasis on hooded crow (Corvus cornix), in the (sub)urban environment. Acta Silvae et Ligni (103). pp. 47-60. ISSN 2335-3112

Preview

PDF - Published Version Download (762Kb) | Preview

Abstract

In recent decades, the increase in number of crows, particularly the hooded crow (Corvus cornix), in the (sub)urban environment has resulted in the ever-increasing conflicts with humans. Consequently, this has resulted in growing demands for solving problems with crows and for significant reductions in abundance of these birds (particularly in the urban environment), which happened also in Slovenia. However, Slovene professional-scientific literature does not provide any scientific data that would confirm or even evaluate possible negative impacts of crows on humans, society or ecosystems. For this reason, a comprehensive review of foreign studies on interactions among humans and crows is presented in this paper, which aims to contribute to a better understanding of conflicts with (especially hooded) crows in the urban and rural environment and therefore also to suitable management of species. Due to (rather stigmatised) opinion on negative impacts of crows on populations of other bird species, an overview of studies on the effects of (hooded) crows as predators is also provided. It is very evident from the literature that crows certainly play an important role in ecosystems, and are also involved in many conflict situations with human both on agricultural land (damages on crops and infrastructure) and in urban ecosystems (damage on property, attacks on humans, disturbing peace of residents, pollution in urban areas). In order to make suitable and reasonable management decisions, it would be necessary to systematically study comprehensive ecosystem values of (hooded) crows and their conflicts with humans both in agricultural and urban areas of Slovenia. Based on these findings, appropriate measures to reduce both the number and volume of negative interactions as well as to increase the tolerance of crows in public should be implemented.

Actions (login required)