International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology

V Issue-3; May-Jun, 2024

Peer-Reviewed International Journal
Journal Home Page Available: https://ijeab.com/
Journal DOI: 10.22161/ijeab

An account of ornamental bird status and species

assemblage in the bird shop of Rajshahi City Corporation,
Bangladesh
Nelufa Yasmin, Md. Aslam Khan* and M. Golam Mortuza

Department of Zoology, University of Rajshahi; Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh

*Email: [email protected]

Received: 28 Mar 2024; Received in revised form: 08 May 2024; Accepted: 17 May 2024; Available online: 27 May 2024
©2024 The Author(s). Published by Infogain Publication. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Abstract— The business and rearing of ornamental birds have become an important source of income in
Bangladesh. The present study was conducted to determine the management and profitability of the
ornamental birds, and species assemblage of the cage bird business in Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. Around
30 ornamental bird shops were found to be working with new promise in this region. It was found that 24
varieties of ornamental birds, including both exotic and indigenous, were traded in Rajshahi City. The most
dominant order was Psittaciformes (6 species) followed by Passariformes (3 species), and Columbiformes
(7 species) under the families Columbidae (seven), Psittaculidae (five), and Estrilididae (two) species, and
only one species is found in the Fringillidae and Cacatuidae families. Shannon's index (H) for species
diversity is 2.37, the evenness index (E) is 0.86, and Margalef’s index (d) for species richness is 2.22. Most
of the ornamental birds were imported by traders who fulfilled requirements to import them. The bird cages
with accessories such as feed, medicine, and artificial pots were also traded in shops in this area.
Keywords— Checklist, Diversity, ornamental birds, Rajshahi City Corporation

I. INTRODUCTION the world (Grau and Roudybush, 1983). A study that was
Bangladesh is situated in a subtropical monsoon climate. It conducted in Dhaka Katabon, Bangladesh, in 2009
is the home of 690 different kinds of birds, of which 380 are suggested that there were 33 species of birds out of 43
permanent inhabitants, 209 are winter visitors, 11 are wildlife species (Sarker and Abdullah, 2009). The six basic
summer visitors, and 90 are vagrants. (Khan, 2008). Birds fundamental needs for cage birds should be food,
are crucial for the structure and function of ecosystems environment, disease-free life, company, and avoiding
because they provide a multitude of ecological services, mental suffering. The cages of birds need to change their
including seed dispersal and assisting in the restoration of position twice a year, and when any new birds are
forests (Lozada et al., 2007). Around 4,000 years ago, in introduced, they are observed for thirty days in quarantine
prehistoric Egypt, cage birds were first recognized. They are (Animal Welfare Council, UK). International and local laws
fed two different kinds of food: oil and grain seeds. Such are designed for trade, and live animals are sold in regional
cage birds are fed various foods from Morocco, Canada, and open markets (Sullivan, 2003). Ecologists often use the
Australia. The remaining ingredients are found in oil seeds, richness, abundance, and community composition of birds
almonds, sunflower seeds, and mustard seeds, as well as in to understand the diversity of species in natural occurrence
cereals (Alderton 2000, 2003, 2005). First, the idea of cage (Joshi, 2001). Several studies on birds have been done
bird study came from aviculturists, who saw that the altricial sporadically in various parts of the country (Kabir, 2014),
or helpless chicks of birds from their hatch needed to care however, there is no record of Rajshahi pet birds. So, in this
for humans. There are six color patterns in Cockatiel, and investigation, we have enlisted the available ornamental
California is the major Cockatiel producer and supplier in cage birds, and the possible diversity assemblage was

ISSN: 2456-1878 (Int. J. Environ. Agric. Biotech.)

https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijeab.93.9 83
Yasmin et al. An account of ornamental bird status and species assemblage in the bird shop of Rajshahi City Corporation,
Bangladesh

determined that has been found in the pet shop of the Where pi = fraction of entire population made up of species;
Rajshahi City Corporation area of Bangladesh. S = total number of species; i = proportion of species.
Evenness Index (Hill, 1973):
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS E = H/ ln S
The study was conducted in Rajshahi City to obtain detailed Where, S = total number of species; H = Index of species;
information about ornamental bird status, species Margalef’s Index (Margalef, 1970):
availability, diversity, abundance, and prospects of bird
d= (S-1)/ ln N
shops in the Rajshahi City Corporation area. The total area
is 8.20 sq. km, located between 24°21' and 24°23' north Where, S = Total number of species; N = Total number of
latitudes and between 88°32' and 88°36' east longitudes. individuals in the sample.
The study period was conducted over six months
(November to April) in 2022. The data was collected two
III. RESULTS
times a month. The information was collected through
survey methods, using questionnaires and cross-check During the study period, we collected data from 24 varieties
interviews. In favor of this study, one of the PRA of ornamental birds. From them, 16 species of three orders
(Participatory Rural Appraisal) tools and FGD (Focus and five families were recorded from the pet bird shops in
Group Discussion) were conducted to obtain more accurate the Rajshahi City Corporation area. Among them, different
data (Chambers, 1992; Nabasa et al., 1995). The session species of love birds, finch birds, and different varieties of
was held in front of bird shops. At the beginning of the pigeons are mostly common. They are very gorgeous
interview, a brief introduction about the objectives of the colors, nice-looking, and very attractive. From the
survey was given to each of the shopkeepers, who were collection list of ornamental birds in Rajshahi City's bird
assured that all information would be kept confidential. shop, we found that there are 3 orders of birds in Rajshahi
Each question was explained clearly and asked City's bird shop. They are Psittaciformes, Passariformes,
systematically for their sound understanding. Statistical and Columbiformes. It is found that the Psittaciformes order
analysis like relative abundance was done through a formula has seven species, the Passeriformes order has three species,
in Microsoft Excel and biodiversity indices were calculated and the Columbiformes order has six species.
following (Shannon and Wiener, 1949): The Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index (H'), Evenness (E),
s and Margalef’s Richness Index (d) were computed
concerning the species. Studies on diversity indices in this
H’(S) = – ∑ pi ln pi
area yielded the following findings: Shannon's index (H) for
i=1 species diversity is 2.37, the evenness index (E) is 0.86, and
Margalef’s index (d) for species richness is 2.22.
Table 1: List of the ornamental birds in the bird shop of the Rajshahi City Corporation area
Common Name Scientific Name Number of Individuals Relative abundance
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittaculidae
Budgerigar Melopsittacus undulates 100 11.76
Yellow-collared love
Agapornis personatus 80 9.41
bird
Fisher’s Love Bird A. fischer 60 7.06
Lillian’s love bird A. lilianae 30 3.53
Black-winged love
A. taranta 20 2.35
bird
Family: Cacatuidae
Cockatiel Nymphicus hollandicus 60 7.06
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Esrtildidae

ISSN: 2456-1878 (Int. J. Environ. Agric. Biotech.)

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Yasmin et al. An account of ornamental bird status and species assemblage in the bird shop of Rajshahi City Corporation,
Bangladesh

Gouldian finch Chloebia gouldiae 40 4.71

Zebra Finch Taeniopygia castanotis 40 4.71
Family: Fringillidae
American Goldfinch Spinus tristis 30 2.35
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Eurasian collared
Streptopelia decaocto 20 2.35
dove
Stock Dove Columba oenas 20 2.35
Diamond dove Geopeliacun cuneate 20 4.71
Spotted dove Spilopelia chinensis 40 3.53
King Pigeon 30 2.35
Silver siraji 20 2.35
Noton pigeon 20 4.71
Lahore pigeon 40 3.53
White Lahore C. livia 30 2.35
Chua chandan 20 3.53
Giribadge 30 4.71
Homar 40 3.53
Lakhma 30 1.18
Yellow eyed pigeon C. eversmanni 10 2.35
Zebra Dove Geopelia striata 20 3.53
Total 850 100
Table 1 shows 5 families of ornamental birds in the Rajshahi City area's bird’s shop. The families are Psittaculidae, Esrtildidae,
Fringillidae, Cacatuidae, and Columbidae. These families and family-wise bar diagrams are displayed below-

8
7
7
6
Number of Species

5
5
4
3
2
2
1 1
1
0
Psittaculidae Esrtildidae Fringillidae Cacatuidae Columbidae
Name of the families

Fig. 1. Showing the families of different ornamental varieties

ISSN: 2456-1878 (Int. J. Environ. Agric. Biotech.)

https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijeab.93.9 85
Yasmin et al. An account of ornamental bird status and species assemblage in the bird shop of Rajshahi City Corporation,
Bangladesh

The bird cages with accessories such as feed, medicine, and also remarkable. However, shop owners are normally
artificial pots were also traded in shops in this area. All illiterate people, and they don’t have formal training to
traders in markets made a considerable amount of profit. maintain their living-sale items. It is also said that there is
no doubt that Bangladesh is losing some of its valuable
indigenous wildlife, especially birds. Therefore, people
IV. DISCUSSION
have to be conscious of wildlife, ornamental birds, nature,
In this study, a total of 24 varieties and 16 species of and the conservation of nature. It is our moral responsibility
ornamental birds were found under three orders and five as such departments to implement laws and control the
families in Rajshahi City Corporation pet and ornamental illegal trade of that animal.
bird shops during the study period. Columbidae has 7
species, Psittaculidae has 5 species, Estrilididae has 2
species, and only 1 species is found in the Fringillidae and ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Cacatuidae families. Kabir (2014) mentioned that there are The Authors are grateful to Professor Dr. Bidhan Chandra
16 in total belonging to the families Psittacidae 6, Dash, Former Chairman of, the Department of Zoology,
Passeridae 5, Phasianidae 3, and Columbidae 2 in the University of Rajshahi for providing all the research
districts of Kushtia and Dhaka Katabon, Bangladesh. facilities during the progress of research work.
According to Kabir (2014), previous and present studies in
different locations have both similarities and dissimilarities,
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