Migratory birds have started reaching the country’s waterbodies since the past few days. Scores of waterbodies all across the country are now full with the hustles and bustles of thousands of migratory birds that have come to the country flying all the way from various regions situated thousands of miles away.
Every year, in winter season, the migratory birds come far from Siberia and other cold territories seeking refuge in the warmer climate of Bangladesh. Migratory birds are thronging the Hakaluki Haor, Jahangirnagar University, Tanguar Haor, Hail Haor, Nijhum Dip, Baikka Beel, the rivers Padma and the Jamuna, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Char Kukri Mukri, Domar Char, Char Shahajalal, the Sundarbans, Chalon Beel, Mirpur Zoo, Mirpur Ceramic Lake, haors of Netrokona and different forest areas and water bodies of the country. There remain nine birds' flyways in the world. Among them, the East Asian-Australian (EAA) flyway is the largest flyway, which consists of 22 countries including Bangladesh.
About 45 per cent of the world human population is living in this flyway. Extensive loss of birds' habitats is occurring in these countries due to reclamation of intertidal mudflats, conversion of freshwater and floodplain wetlands for intensive agriculture and experiencing large-scale industrial development.
The quality of habitats has declined through pollution from untreated wastewater and reduction of free flow of water to many lakes and marshes. Moreover, sport hunting of migratory birds is also a critical threat to some species. Bangladesh is located on the northern coast line of the Bay of Bengal. The country is in a region of overlap between the EAA flyway and the Central Asian flyway. Every year, migratory birds come to Bangladesh from the mountainous northern parts of the subcontinent namely the Himalayas and beyond, Nepal, Xinxian, Mongolia, different parts of Europe, as far as Siberia.
The mentionable species of migratory birds are Bali Duck, Samukal, Bright, Rose King, Bali Lenja, Chity, Sorail, Boikal, Nilshir, Piyang, Pankouri, Rangamuri, Pintail, Pantamukhi, Chokha-chokhi, Khonjona, Lesser Whistling Teal (Chhota Sarali), Greater Whistling Teal (Bara Sarali), Cotton pigmy Goose (Balihansh), Pochard (Bhulihansh), Darters (Snake bird), Pintail Duck, Gurgani, etc.
The guest birds move to relatively warm land areas in Bangladesh to escape the cold, and feed on snails and tiny fishes in the rice crops, water bodies and coastal areas. They start arriving from early November and stay till March-April of every year. An estimated 500,000 birds of about 150 species, mainly ducks, travel to Bangladesh in each winter.
