41 bird species spotted in chars of Padma

A research team has found 41 species of bird conducting a survey in different char areas of Padma river in Rajshahi this week, reports news agency BSS.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) under its Bangladesh Wild Bird Monitoring Programme carried out the survey in the 39-kilometre area of the river Padma. Bangladesh Birds Club, Rajshahi Bird Club and Department of Forestry jointly supported the assessment.

IUCN senior programme officer and bird researcher Sarwar Alam Dipu told newspersons that most of the bird species were spotted in Char Khanpur, Char Khidirpur, Char Number 10, part of Charghat and mid char.

During the survey, a total of 2,709 birds of 41 species were counted and 28 of those are migratory.

Dipu said the Padma river has different char-lands which are full of natural resources attracting birds to live and have food here. So the survey was conducted with a focus on the char-lands of the Padma river basin, he said.

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.

Last year, a total of 4,025 birds of 37 species were counted and 27 of those were migratory.

Nur-E-Soud, a member of Rajshahi Bird Club, called for declaring the Padma river-beds as a sanctuary for birds.