Migratory birds still unsafe in remote areas

Defying ban from the authorities, poachers set a trap in Burai River near Tangail town to catch migratory birds that have appeared in large numbers in the area. Photo: STAR

Water bodies in Tangail are buzzing with chirping and fluttering of thousands of migratory birds that have flown in from extremely cold northern lands.
Like every winter, several species of ducks including bali hansh, sarali hansh, raj hansh have arrived in the natural water bodies in different upazilas of the district.
Local birds including heron, kingfisher, snipe, domestic ducks, kalim, shamuk kecha, hottiktik, pankouri and dahuk have also joined them in the water bodies.
From the very beginning of this winter, Burai River, now a nearly dead flow near Tangail town, has become a temporary abode of migratory birds, especially bali hansh and sarali hansh.
Despite arrival of a good number of visitors everyday, the migratory birds are relatively safe as local people, now more conscious about the necessity of preserving the essential part of our biodiversity, remain watchful about their safety as well as privacy.
A section of callous people, however, are still engaged in hunting the beautiful creatures in water bodies of remote rural areas, especially by setting traps.
This correspondent recently visited several large water bodies in Sadar, Kalihati, Ghatail and Bhuapur upazilas to see the migratory birds.
"Like every year, we the local people are enjoying the beauty and chirp of migratory birds. We are always careful to protect these birds from any harm as the number of winter migratory birds in the local water bodies has reduced to about two-thirds during the last few years," said businessman Shahidul Islam, a resident of Tangail.
He, however, expressed fear about the spread of bird flu as domestic ducks have joined the migratory birds in the same water bodies.
It is hard to open fire to hunt birds in urban and thickly populated areas but poachers and a section of villagers are engaged in hunting these birds in the lonely water bodies in remote rural areas by setting traps, said locals.
The hunted birds are used to prepare savoury dishes or sold to others, they added.
The authorities concerned have set signboards beside all large natural water bodies in the district with notices to preserve the water bodies and as well as migratory birds but such initiative seems futile due to lack of proper monitoring.