Sadia Sultana Rimi

The tradition of the fields of rural Bengal is the Babui bird's nest. And today, that Babui bird is about to disappear. The Babui bird makes its nest of extraordinary beauty by skillfully working on palm leaves. These birds, which once roamed nature, are on the verge of extinction from the ever-familiar green nature of Bengal due to today's evolution. The Babui bird used to build its habitat here and there on the leaves of palm trees in Bengal with so much talent and energy. The Babui bird, the perfect craftsman who builds the nests of the present rural Bengal, the hero of the poet's timeless poem 'The Joy of Independence', can boast of his art. However, many believe that the Babui bird itself is in crisis today due to the scarcity of palm trees and natural disasters. The Babui bird's nest, which is always familiar to nature, is on the verge of extinction due to environmental disasters.

The Babui bird, whose scientific name is Ploceus philippinus, is basically a type of weaver bird. Its other names are the weaver bird or the baya bird. Although small in size, their construction style will beat any architect. The male Babui bird does the work of building the nest alone and it is an integral part of their reproductive process. By building a new nest, they mainly attract females. If the female bird likes that nest, then they lay eggs there. The main materials for building the Babui bird's nest are long grass, rice husks, thin strips of palm and date palm leaves, young palm fibers, reeds, hemp and various vine leaves. With these materials, they build very strong and storm-resistant nests.

The structure of the Babui bird's nest is very complex and extraordinary. Its interior is divided into three parts. The first part is the entrance, which hangs down like a long and narrow tube. By entering through this tube, the bird's nest is safe from the swinging of the wind. The second part is the place to lay eggs, which is completely protected. And the third part is the resting room, where the birds rest during the day. The entire nest is so skillfully woven that it is not easily damaged by wind or storms. Their nest-building technique is passed down from generation to generation. They are so neat and careful that they check the quality of the construction materials before building the nest. If there is soft grass or anything useless, they throw it away and build a new one.

Causes of extinction: Nature and human ignorance

There are several reasons behind the extinction of the Baboon bird, the main ones being habitat shortages and food shortages.

The preferred habitat of the Babui bird is palm trees. But due to the introduction of modern farming in agricultural lands, urbanization and rapid industrialization, the number of palm trees and other large trees is decreasing alarmingly. Once upon a time, numerous palm trees could be seen on the roadsides of rural Bengal, which are almost rare today. Trees are being cut down indiscriminately for brick kilns and various developmental works, which is destroying the natural habitat of the Babui bird. In addition, farmers often cut down bushes around the crops to keep the crops in good condition, which further narrows the shelter of the Babui bird. The main food of the Babui bird is rice, various grain grains, grass and tree seeds, and various types of insects. The indiscriminate use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in modern agriculture is disrupting the reproduction of these insects, which is having a negative impact on the food chain of the Babui bird. In addition, the cultivation of some crops exclusively instead of crop diversification in agricultural land is limiting the food supply of the Babui bird. Environmental pollution and climate change are also one of the reasons for the extinction of the Babui bird. Rising temperatures, irregular rainfall and natural disasters are negatively affecting the reproduction and life cycle of the Babui bird. In addition, noise pollution and flashing lights in urban and rural areas are disrupting the normal life of the Babui bird. Human ignorance and greed are also contributing to the extinction of the Babui bird. Sometimes, some unscrupulous people collect and sell the beautiful nests of the Babui bird, which disrupts the life cycle of the bird. On the other hand, many people catch them for the greed of the Babui bird's meat, which is another reason for the decline in the number of birds. Many people were interested in seeing the nests of the Babui bird as children. Some people used to destroy the nests before they could lay eggs or hatch, which may have been for pleasure, but it caused serious harm to the bird.

The extinction of the Baboon bird is not just the extinction of a species, but a clear indication of the imbalance in our environment and our indifference to nature. We need a collective effort to protect this natural masterpiece.

Palm trees are the main shelter of the Babui bird. Therefore, it is necessary to plant more palm trees and give importance to their maintenance. Palm tree planting programs can be taken up at the government and private levels. Palm trees can be planted on both sides of the road, on the banks of dams, ponds or beels. Not only palm trees, but other trees preferred by the Babui bird such as date palms, betel nuts, etc. should also be planted. The use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers should be reduced in agriculture and the use of organic fertilizers should be increased. This will not only increase the food supply of the Babui bird, but also help in maintaining the balance of the environment as a whole. Farmers should be made aware of the harmful effects of pesticides and taught to use alternative methods. It is very important to increase public awareness about the importance of the Babui bird and the need for their conservation. The message of Babui bird and environmental conservation should be spread through schools, colleges, universities and various social organizations. People can be made aware with the help of posters, leaflets and the media. Especially among children, interest in Babui birds should be created, so that they do not harm them but come forward for their conservation. Wildlife conservation laws should be strictly enforced and strict action should be taken against the destruction of Babui bird nests or bird hunting. Local administration and forest department should be more active in this regard. More research is needed on the reproduction, food cycle and lifestyle of Babui birds. The results of this research will help in determining effective strategies for the conservation of Babui birds. By creating protected habitats for Babui birds in certain areas, their breeding can be helped.

The Babui bird's nest in the palm tree is not just a natural shelter, it is part of our rural culture, our heritage. The extraordinary construction style of the Babui bird adds a special beauty to our nature. This small bird is an important part of the biodiversity of our environment. Their extinction will not only destroy the balance of nature, but will also deprive our future generations of the opportunity to see an extraordinary natural work of art. Every element of nature is connected to each other. If one part is damaged, it has a negative impact on the entire environment. This crisis of the Babui bird reminds us that we need to be more careful and more aware of nature. Let us collectively protect this natural work of art from extinction and ensure a beautiful and healthy environment for future generations.

Not only the Babu bird, but also the national bird Doel, Sparrow, Shalik, Eagle, Crow, Cuckoo, etc. are in crisis today. If initiatives are not taken to preserve these birds now, perhaps these birds will disappear from nature in the near future. It is our responsibility to protect these beautiful birds of nature.

The writer is student, Mathematics Department,Jagannath University.She can be reached at email sadia15.jnu@gmail.com