Black kites are appearing in growing numbers across Dhaka. Whereas five to 20 black kites could be seen together in Chankharpul about three months ago, hundreds have been seen in Chankharpul, Motijheel and Gulistan in the mornings for the past 15 days. Bird researchers and wildlife experts say their presence has increased noticeably over the past six months, particularly in Ramna, Hatirjheel, Matuail and Aminbazar.

One possible reason for the rise in kite numbers may be the availability of open waste across the city, according to experts. They also stressed that regular counting and research are needed to determine how much the birds’ numbers have actually increased.

The rise comes against a broader decline in Dhaka’s urban bird habitat. Crows were once a common sight in the city’s neighbourhoods, while trees, water bodies and open ground supported a wide range of bird species. Unplanned urbanisation, tree-felling and the infilling of water bodies have since shrunk their habitat. As other birds have become less common in the city’s skies, the presence of black kites has increased noticeably over the past 1.5 to two years.

That shift in the city’s bird population has also raised questions about the relationship between crows and kites. Md Sanaullah Patwary, forest conservator at the Forest Department, said crows were once the waste-eating birds seen in Dhaka, but black kites are now more commonly seen. “The main reason is that there are no crows in Dhaka now,” he told Bonik Barta.

Patwary explained that crows gather around kite nests in groups and try to harm eggs and chicks. With fewer crows, kite eggs and chicks may remain relatively safer, potentially increasing the birds’ breeding rate. However, research is needed to establish a direct relationship between the decline in crows in Dhaka and an increase in kite breeding.

Patwary also noted that during Cyclone Sitrang a few years ago, forest officials rescued and treated around 200 kites in the capital. He said the breeding of the kites now seen in Dhaka could also have contributed to their increase.

Food availability is another part of the picture. Most of the kites now visible in the capital are black kites. Though a native species, they move between areas in search of food, feeding on carrion, fish scraps, rotting food and other refuse. Researchers note that they frequently nest on towers and water tanks rather than trees and prefer to nest in the same place year after year.

Professor Dr Mohammad Firoj Jaman of Dhaka University’s zoology department told Bonik Barta: “Their favourite foods are rats, fish and crow chicks. They also like stale and rotten food. They pick food out of the city’s dustbins and waste dumps.”

A typical scene at the Matuail Landfill, a major waste disposal site operated by the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC)

That access to waste is not new. Kites have long been present at designated city corporation waste sites, Jaman noted. “Now more kites are being seen inside the city as well. But separate research is needed to know how much their numbers have increased.”

Jaman believes many fly into the capital from surrounding areas in the morning to feed and return in the evening. Some also remain in the city.

This movement between feeding grounds may help explain why kites are increasingly visible within the city, but researchers also point to a wider change in how Dhaka handles its waste. For Professor Dr Hafiz Ashraful Haque, chairman of the Department of Coastal Studies and Disaster Management at Barishal University, the birds’ presence is linked to open waste.

“Developed countries follow modern management systems to turn waste into a resource,” he told Bonik Barta. “Yet in Dhaka, open waste lies beside roads, hospitals and residential areas before being moved to designated dumps. Effective systems for turning waste into a resource haven’t developed.”

Haque said black kites are waste-eating birds and added: “The spread of open waste in Dhaka may be one major reason for the increase in kites. But multiple factors can affect changes in animal numbers in an urban ecosystem. Separate research is needed on the issue.”

Sources at the two city corporations said weak waste management leaves at least 30 percent of waste on city roads and open spaces. Existing canals and water bodies have become piles of rubbish because cleaning operations have not been conducted for a long time. Waste generated around fresh food markets, fruit markets and hospitals has also become an ideal place for waste-eating animals such as kites and rats.

But the food source also comes with risks. Urban planners say that if proper waste management cannot be ensured, new animals will come into the city with the waste, while they may also become ill by eating mixed waste. Dhaka’s waste contains large amounts of plastic and chemicals, which can harm animals as well as people.

At the same time, the city is losing some of the habitat that once supported its birds. Researchers say black kites nest more often on towers and under or on water tanks than in trees. They prefer to nest in the same place year after year. Patwary said the decline in large trees and water bodies has made it difficult for birds to live in Dhaka.

The waste itself can add another layer of pressure. Patwary said plastic, chemicals and contaminated food in open waste can pose health risks to birds. Waste can also increase environmental pollution through air and water, affecting people as well.

For Farzana Tasnim Barsha, a student at Begum Badrunnessa Government Women’s College and an animal rights campaigner, the disappearance of crows is part of the same wider change.

“Research into feeding habits and living patterns of kites should be undertaken with state support,” she told Bonik Barta. “Because of air pollution, tree-felling and shrinking water bodies, it has become difficult for people to live in this city, let alone birds.”

She also called on the government to give serious consideration to black kites.

Yet the extent and causes of the increase remain uncertain. Experts say regular bird counts and scientific research are needed to determine the actual number of kites in Dhaka, the decline in crows and other birds and the relationship between these changes and waste. They also say action is needed to stop open dumping and improve waste management, while protecting trees and water bodies.

Although more flocks of kites are being seen in Dhaka’s skies, this is not seen by researchers and wildlife experts as evidence of a healthy urban ecosystem. It may instead indicate changes in the city’s food system and pressure on its habitat.