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Winter birds bring JU lakes to life

Shahnaz Parveen
Migratory birds have finally graced the Jahangirnagar University lakes with their presence, though more than a month later than the usual time.
This year the birds arrived in the last week of December and the number is less than that of previousyear.
Experts said late arrival of winter might be one of the reasons they are late this year. They
expect the number of migratory birds will increase by the end of winter. This has been the recent trend on the campus lakes.
Around 2,000 of these magnificent creatures have been spotted on the campus, their favourite retreat, said JU professor of zoology Mohammad Mostafa Feeroz.
"However, they still have not settled down. Most of them are checking out the lakes," he added.
Every winter thousands of these birds fly in from far away places like the Himalayas, Central Asia, Siberia and many parts of Bangladesh increasing the splendour of the picturesque landscape of the campus.
Last year around 6,000 birds visited the campus, which is considered a safe haven for them.
The birds use the lakes of the campus for roosting during the day and wander around at night
in the swamps, paddy fields and nearby riverbed in search of food. JU authorities this year cleaned the lakes to welcome more guest birds.
Most of the birds that have migrated to JU this year are lesser whistling teal (chhota sarali) and greater whistling teal (bara sarali).
Three species of waterfowl --pintail duck, gargany, pochard --usually come to the campus from Siberia. Their number is still
limited this year. Shovler has almost stopped coming.
Other than duck species a large number of birds come from the Himalayas. These include sandpiper, plover, wagtail and snipe. These birds can be spotted in the shallow water around the lakes.
There are some other migratory species who dwell in the bushes. These include brown shrike, flycatcher, stonechat and
FROM PAGE 21 kestrel, coming from the Central Asia and the Himalayas.
Dr Monirul Kiran, assistant professor of zoology at JU, cleared a common misconception about the migratory birds. "There is a misconception among the general people that only duck species are migratory birds. Actually there are various other species of birds who mostly dwell in the shallow water around the lake and bushes."
“They are not swimmers like ducks. They arrived earlier but remain less visible because they stay at the side of the lakes and in the bushes. They don't fly in large groups."
Most of the migratory birds feed on weed, insects and snails. Some of them migrate forbreeding.
Movement of the birds is however confined to only two lakes on the campus. They are preferring the lakes beside Jahanara Imam Hall and in front of the Registrar Building.
Dr Monirul mentioned that aquatic vegetation in these two lakes are better than other lakes that attract the birds.
Professor Feeroz on other
hand said the gathering of admission seekers has become a major disturbance to the birds. A large number of admission seekers crowd the campus durjng the admission tests.
Often visitors from outside arrange day trips to the campus. This is another disturbance. For taking better picture visitors very often throw rocks at the birds to make them fly, Feeroz added. "However, in general, privacy of the birds is respected by everyone on the campus. We are proud of our awareness."
Since 1980s as many as 50 foreign migratory species were spotted on the JU campus among which 30 come more often than the others. There are around 120 native birds who migrate to the campus from other parts of the country. There are also many residents of JU campus.
Like every year the Zoology Department of JU will arrange a bird fair on the campus in the first week of February. A large number of visitors from Dhaka city go to the campus during the fair to watch the birds.