Residents of the village Maglishpur under Mohadevpur upazila of greater Rajshahi district are awakened early in the morning with the chirping sound of thousands of birds.
Birds of various species have found their ways as a shelter for safe living in the village. An intimate, friendly bonding of soul has been developed between the birds and the residents of the village. No one is allowed to disturb the free flying and roaming of those birds any way.
Situated seven kilometre away North-east from Mohadevpur upazila and 24 kilometre away from Naogaon sadar upazila, the village Maglishpur is situated. Several thousand birds including many migratory birds have been using the village as a sanctuary.
The trees, bamboo groves and ponds of the villages are seen to flock by those birds. Some of those birds are seen to fly in groups while others are seen to tend their chicks in their nests.
The bamboo groves of Ashraful Islam are full of birds. For about a year those birds have taken the village as their sanctuary. They made hundreds of nests with straw and leaves inside the bamboo groves. Some of the nests are seen to attend to the birds with their eggs while others were seen to tend the young chicks. Ashraful Islam informed the scenery of flying of birds in flock in circles and their chirping give the people a heavenly pleasure. The village is a place of attraction for the birds’ lover as well.
The birds which have taken shelter in the village belong to Shamuk Khol, Stork, Jatha stork, Kani stork, Water fowl, Ratchora, Dahuk, Dove and many other local birds.
People of the village are also conscious and they have taken various measures to ensure the peaceful living of those birds. Even, no tree is allowed to fell and no one is allowed to use microphones or loud sounds which may threaten the birds.
However, villagers became very sad when several thousand eggs and chicks were killed in a devastatng storm that lashed through the village months ago.
Ashraful further mentioned that he works as farmer and whenever he is in need of money, he used to sell bamboo from the grove but for the last one year the birds made their nest inside the bamboo grove and now he cannot cut any bamboo from his grove. Whenever anyone requires any bamboo or any wood for their personal use, they purchase those from neighbouring villages.
House wife Sultana of the village said, at first many villagers were disturbed with the odour of the litter of those birds and their clattering sounds but now all of them are habituated with those ‘ guests’ and every one now satisfied with those birds. She mentioned, there are many ponds in the village but the birds do not sit or hunt for fish in those ponds rather those used to fly to water bodies outside the village.
Ornithologist SRK Shamim and Photographer Tareque visited the village and were charmed by watching the habitation of so huge number of birds there. They mentioned, they have not seen such friendly relations with men and birds anywhere in the country.
