37 bird species spotted in Rajshahi Padma riverbeds
BSS, Rajshahi
During a survey, a research team has spotted 37 bird species in different char (riverbed) areas of Padma river in the district this week.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) under its Bangladesh Wild Bird Monitoring Programme conducted the survey in 39-kilometer part of the Padma River. Bangladesh Birds Club, Rajshahi Bird Club and Department of Forestry jointly supported the survey.
IUCN Bird Researcher Simanta Dipu told the local journalists that the majority of the species were spotted in Char Khanpur, Char Khidirpur, 10 Number Char, part of Charghat and mid char.
During the survey, a total of 4,025 birds of 37 species were counted and 27 of those are migratory.
Dipu said the River Padma has become compartmentalized by the development of char-lands which are generally a seasonal natural process of the riverine ecology and have a complex ecosystem. The survey was conducted with a focus on the char-lands of the Padma river basin.
Such riverine habitats support a wide variety of bird species, many of them nest on sandbars and others forage along or in the water channel.
During the winter season, a number of migratory birds invade the Padma char-land and some people hunt these birds to earn money.
Nur-E-Soud, a member of Rajshahi Bird Club, demanded declaration of the Padma river-beds as a sanctuary for birds.
