Few can resist the sight of birds spreading their wings in the open sky and roaming freely in search of food. Flocks of migratory birds are now being seen on the banks of Ulupur Dighi, a large pond in Tarash municipality of Sirajganj. The pond has become home to thousands of migratory birds, which, as every year, have come again from cold countries around the world.

Besides the pond, Tarash also has the vast Chalan Beel wetland. Because the weather is favourable and food is plentiful there, hundreds of thousands of migratory birds are seen every year. In winter the beel and the pond ring with the calls of many species, including soli, bodor, lalmon, Asian openbill, egrets, whistling ducks, kaiyum and bagari. Small native fish in the beel and the pond are the birds' main food.

Local bird lovers estimate that the number of migratory birds at Chalan Beel and the pond now runs to several hundred thousand. Every morning and afternoon visitors go there to enjoy the birdsong and the sight of birds flying against the blue sky, and some capture the moments on camera.

Local college student Shibu Raj told Jagonews24 that the trees around Ulupur Dighi have become a safe shelter for the birds. If the trees can be protected and the birds allowed to move about undisturbed, even more birds could gather there in future, he said. He hopes the local administration will take the necessary steps to protect this safe habitat, and believes everyone's awareness and effective action are needed to conserve the birds' safe range and keep nature in balance.

Mokaddes Islam, who came from Baruhas union in Tarash to see the birds, told Jagonews24: "The birds' movement is truly enchanting. The whole area is alive with birdsong all the time. I really enjoyed it. I will come back with friends."

These migratory birds are said to arrive from the far north. When temperatures in northern places such as Siberia, the Philippines, Australia, Russia, Finland and Antarctica drop below zero, severe food shortages follow. In the intense cold the birds lose feathers. When nature no longer supports them, they travel as guests to countries with milder winters and more favourable conditions. As a temperate country, Bangladesh welcomes these birds every year and becomes a safe place for them to feed and live.

Birds are also very strongly built. Migratory birds can fly at altitudes of 600 to 1,300 metres. Large birds can easily fly 80 km an hour and small birds 30 km an hour. In 24 hours of day and night flying they can cover about 250 km. Some birds travel around 22,000 miles a year to reach Bangladesh.

Zoologists say 744 species of birds are seen in Bangladesh. Of these, 301 species live in the country permanently and are called resident birds. Another 176 species visit regularly for part of the year and are counted as the country's migratory birds. Their arrival begins in September, but most come in December and January. At this time they are seen across the country, their calls fill the countryside, and the haor wetlands take on an enchanting look.

On one side lies the calm water of the pond, on the other a mass of greenery, and in between the chatter of thousands of birds. Altogether, the banks of Ulupur Dighi have become a wonderful meeting place of nature and birds. Locals hope the birds' safe presence will grow richer each year and that the pond's natural beauty will stay intact.

Rafiqul Islam, forester at Jamuna Bridge West Eco Park, told Jagonews24: "When the cold eases, the migratory birds head back to their homelands. Ending their stay in Bangladesh, they again cross thousands of miles to return home."

He added: "The birds come to this country for safety, but they do not get it. Unfortunate as it is, some unscrupulous people hunt and kill them at various times. The number of migratory birds is falling every year because of hunters' traps. If they keep being killed like this every year, nature will lose its character and many bird species will disappear. So everyone should be humane in keeping migratory birds safe."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.