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 d.