Photo Feature

Avian Wonders

Ghughu (dove)

Photojournalist M.A. Taher has toured many parts of Bangladesh and has captured images of many of our local birds. From our very own national bird Magpie Robin (Doel) to various unknown species of Myna (Shalik), he has literally captured all the available birds of our country and discovered unknown members of their species through his lens.

The red-cockaded woodpecker, Flamingos, Cuckoos, Sparrows and Doves have been major subjects of his pictures. While photographing these remarkable birds, he has made many interesting discoveries. While watching sparrows for instance, the best way to keep them from flying away is to make a small amount of noise such as a very low whistle tune. It seems that the birds interpret your quietness as stalking behaviour. So by making a small amount of noise it breaks that "stalking feeling". On the other hand, doves are intimidated by direct eye contact. They seem to freeze and then fly. Before this happens they break eye contact and step backwards gently. Woodpeckers have a long extensive tongue, which has muscles enabling the bird to dart it back and forth to retract it again quickly. There are about 200 species of woodpeckers all over the world.

Jhut Shalik (Myna)
Kokil (Cuckoo)	Doyel (Magpie Robin)

The cuckoos are generally medium sized slender birds. The majority are arboreal, with a sizeable minority that are terrestrial. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, with the majority of species being tropical. Our national bird Magpie Robin (Doyel) is found in open woodland, cultivated areas and around human habitation. It nests in a hole, often in a wall, laying 3-6 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes.

Photo By: M.a. Taher
Text By: Nazmus Saquib

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