Nature Quest: The Den of Sparrows

Every afternoon, thousands of sparrows from different areas of Pirojpur town congregate in a little banyan tree in Pirojpur Old Bus Terminal.

In a span of a few minutes, the cries of the birds ring through the air, transforming the lone tree into a hub of our feathered friends.  

Unknowingly, the tree serves two functions; it acts as a shelter for the sparrows while turning into a visual treat for bird and nature lovers.

Locals say that everyday thousands of sparrows gather in the banyan tree planted three years ago. Six months ago, the first group of the birds arrived and since then, the numbers have swelled.  

"Every day, hundreds of people gather in the bus terminal for different purposes. But no one disturbs the birds though the tree isn't too tall," said Khairul Islam, a local of the area, adding that people like to take photographs of the birds.

As soon as night falls, the cacophony subsides. The birds then hide themselves behind the leaves. Behind each leaf is a little bird displaying a symbiosis unexplored.

"The songs of the sparrows are very pleasant to hear," said Ferdaus Hossain, a regular night-time patron of Star hotel, an establishment adjacent to the tree.

"Sometimes, I stand underneath the tree and enjoy the gathering of the little birds," he said.