Guwahati: Students from Bongaon Chola High School in Assam’s Golaghat district have started a unique conservation initiative —‘Bird Nest Conservation Day’ — to protect urban birds threatened by rapid urbanisation.The observance, led by the student group known as ‘Chorai Bandhob’, was marked on Feb 14 last year, making it the first such initiative of its kind in India. Building on last year’s campaign, themed ‘build nests, save nests’, which distributed terracotta nesting platforms successfully used by birds for breeding, this year’s focus shifted toward long-term solutions such as planting native trees that provide food and nesting spaces.
The headmaster of Bongaon Chola High School, Girimallika Saikia, who is also the group director said, “Natural habitats are shrinking, forcing many bird species to nest in human-dominated spaces. While adaptable generalist species survive, specialist birds are declining, leading to a homogenisation of urban bird communities. The initiative was chosen strategically, as birds across the Indian subcontinent begin nest-building in March, making mid-February ideal for awareness and preventive conservation.”She also said the movement aims to spread bird nest conservation across Assam and beyond. The initiative highlights the power of student-led, community-driven action in balancing development with biodiversity protection.The programme was organised in collaboration with NGO’s and 16 schools. More than 500 students took an oath to protect birds, their nestsand fruit-bearing trees. The central event at Bongaon featured exhibitions, dance dramas and seminars on bird conservation, with participation from students and teachers.The initiative also expanded beyond Golaghat district. Schools in Chinatoli observed the day, while in Majuli, representatives from 40 schools gathered at Kamalabari Academy to discuss district-level strategies for protecting bird nesting sites.
