Baya weaver bird population decreasing

By Baburam Karki,Barahakshetra, Aug. 27: The artistic and beautiful nests hanging from coconut, areca nut and other trees around the village are no longer in sight these days. 

The Baya weaver bird, known as the 'engineer' for its ability to build beautiful nests, was abundant in the villages until a decade and a half ago. However, this bird, which builds artistic nests to attract female birds, is no longer seen in the village.

The nests hanging by coconut, areca nut, and other trees attract anyone's attention due to their craftsmanship. The male weaver has to put in extra effort and skill to attract the female weaver bird.

By preparing the outer cover of the nest using green grasses like wild sugarcane and cogon, and plastering the inner part with mud while sticking glowworms for illumination, the male weaver succeeds in attracting the female. 

The female chooses a nest it likes, and this leads to competition among males to build the most beautiful nest. The nest is designed to be elongated on the sides and hollow in the middle, resembling an egg shape, making it easy for the female to settle and lay eggs. 

Due to human activities affecting biodiversity, the number of Baya weaver birds has also started to decline. The bird experts mention that nature's engineer, which used to be seen in the settlements and fields of the Tarai, has not been sighted lately. According to them, the number of the species of birds is decreasing.

Some species of birds found in agricultural lands are declining globally. The number of weaver birds, which survive by eating insects in the fields, is decreasing due to the increasing use of pesticides. 

As the use of chemical pesticides increases each passing day to control weeds and pests in the fields along with agricultural technology, the environment is becoming unfavourable for the birds.

Senior ornithologist Dr. Hem Sagar Baral said that due to the increased use of pesticides, the birds dependent on food in the fields are experiencing a decrease in their breeding capacity. Birds are considered the jewels of natural beauty, and it is impossible to imagine nature without birds. 

However, many species of birds are gradually becoming extinct. Dr. Baral said, “Although we must preserve natural coexistence, the number of birds is decreasing due to various human activities.”

Over the past decade, the fragmentation of agricultural land into plots has destroyed the habitats of birds dependent on these lands. Dr. Baral mentioned that reasons such as poaching, lack of food, climate change, and a lack of awareness among humans have led to a daily decline in the number of birds.

According to nature guide Anish Timsina, the habitats and feeding grounds of birds are shrinking day by day. The reduction of places to forage for food and the destruction of trees, bushes and shrubs has led to a decline in the bird population.

The excessive use of pesticides to kill various types of pests affecting crops has put the existence of birds at risk. As birds become extinct, there will be adverse effects on human life and the environment, Dr. Baral added.

Experts said that small birds are directly affected by consuming food from pesticide-laden fields, while larger birds and other creatures experience a decrease in breeding capacity, preventing biological magnification. “It is time to adopt organic farming to conserve birds and reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture,” they said.

Ornithologists said that some species of birds that survive by eating insects in the fields are facing extinction globally. About 150 species of birds are at risk. Not only in Nepal but worldwide, a dozen bird species are at risk of extinction.