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Migratory birds heading towards northern water bodies

Wednesday, 11 December 2019


The migratory birds, huge in number, are arriving from the colder northern hemisphere in the water bodies giving those a pleasant look in the northern region now.

Local people, officials, experts and environmental activists said the number of arriving migratory birds from the Himalayan, Siberian, Nepal, Xinxiang and Mongolian regions is higher this time than the previous years.

With the beginning of the winter season, the bigger water bodies and char areas in northern region have worn decent look and fleeting glimpse with arrival of migratory birds and their well-mannered flying and movements.

Former chairman Sohrab Hossain of Astomirchar union on the Brahmaputra riverbed in Chilmari upazila of Kurigram district said the number of arriving migratory birds in char areas is higher this time compared to the previous years.

“A large number of Bali Lenja, ‘Bali Duck’, ‘Samukal’, Bright, Rose King, ‘Chity’, ‘Sorail’, ‘Boikal’, ‘Nilshir’, ‘Piyang’, ‘Pankouri’, ‘Rangamuri’, Pintail, ‘Chokha-chokhi’, ‘Khonjona’, ‘Pantamukhi’ and other migratory birds are now flocking to the char areas,” Hossain said.

Senior Coordinator (Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS Bangladesh said the migratory birds are living on small fishes, insects, small snails and watery plants after arriving in the water bodies and marshy lands of the region.

“The temperature generally starts falling sharply in the colder northern hemisphere from November compelling migratory birds to leave colder regions and arrive in the water bodies of the northern and other regions of Bangladesh,” Rashid said.

Associate Professor of Begum Rokeya University and President of the ‘Riverine People’ Dr. Tuhin Wadud said the migratory birds were being seen in uncountable numbers in the water bodies even some three to four decades back in the northern region.

Though the number of migratory birds marked a sharp fall a few years back, their number in higher this year despite reduction in areas of water bodies and depletion of many species of sweet water fishes from marshes.

“The situation is happening due to adverse impacts of climate change reducing the duration of stay of migratory birds as most of the water bodies completely dry up much earlier before the winter season ends,” Tuhin said.

Superintendent of Ramsagar National Garden in Dinajpur Abdus Salam said migratory birds are arriving in higher number this year in the ‘Ramsagar Dighee’ having 77.90 acres of water body with 68.54 acres of banks with gardens all-around.

“More tourists are visiting the garden with increase in the number of arriving migratory birds those create pleasant look by flying in the air and coming down on the water again and again charming the spectators,” he said.

Chairman of Chilmari upazila in Kurigram Shawkat Ali Sarker, Bir Bikram, said migratory birds are arriving in a large number this year in the riverine areas and water bodies on the Brahmaputra basin.

“To ensure the safety and security of the arriving migratory birds in the riverine char areas, adequate administrative measures should be taken to completely stop poaching, catching and selling to make their stay safer in the northern region,” Sarker suggested, reports BSS.