Maroon Oriole spotted for first time at JU

The Maroon Oriole, a bird rarely seen outside hilly areas, has been documented for the first time at Jahangirnagar University (JU), ornithologists said.

Conservationist Auritro Sattar spotted the bird in a tree in the university’s transport area around noon today.

Dr M Monirul H Khan, a professor of zoology at JU and an ornithologist, said the species is found in the hilly areas of Sylhet and Chattogram, but is uncommon even there.

“It is certainly not a common species in urban or semi-urban forests,” he said.

Outside the hilly regions, the bird has been documented only twice before – at the National Botanical Garden in Mirpur and in Uttar Nawabganj of Dinajpur, Monirul added.

“Many areas surrounding the campus once had plenty of trees, but much of that vegetation is now gone. In comparison, JU campus remains a relatively good habitat for birds,” he said.

The Maroon Oriole (Oriolus traillii), locally known as tamranga benebou, mainly forages among tree foliage and branches. Its diet includes insects, caterpillars and other small invertebrates, as well as fruits and berries.

Sattar, also a young researcher, said the bird’s presence indicated the campus’s potential to sustain an environment where humans and nature could coexist.

“The natural habitat could recover further from previous human activities if it were protected from human disturbance through temporary restrictions,” he added.

Ornithologists said migratory birds had begun arriving on schedule this year, unlike in previous years when the arrival of some species was delayed.