Pakistan: Nesting poles in Islamabad’s parks provide much-needed shelter to local, migratory birds

ISLAMABAD: Around 200 wooden nesting and feeding stands have been installed in various parks of Islamabad to provide the birds with grains, water and shelter.

Islamabad’s biggest park, Fatima Jinnah Park (F-9 Park) for instance, is one such vast and lush green area spread over around 750 acres where these nesting poles have been put up.

The park boasts of a large number of plant species and there are also pockets where wild boars and jackals have made their holes.

Similarly, song birds like nightingales and cuckoos are also spotted here, always protecting their younger ones, always fighting with magpies and rooks over food, water and shelter.

However, now they have found some relief as visitors, particularly children and volunteers, fill the small bowls attached to these poles with the birdfeed and water so that they can have food and water in abundance.

These three-in-one poles installed by a local business group in collaboration with Islamabad’s civic agency the Capital Development Authority (CDA) provide the much-needed source of nourishment to these birds to stay hydrated and healthy during the current spell of scorching heat.

A representative of the Monal Group that has undertaken the initiative tolf Gulf News that Islamabad has always been identified as a green city, just like a mini-forest and you know birds, plants and animals are integral part of a green forest.

“It is in line with the vision of the Monal Group’s CEO that we moved forward to provide a supporting environment to the birds with these improvisations. We are grateful to the CDA that allowed us to install these nesting poles in F-9 Park, Kachnar Park and other such facilities,” he said.

“In one of these nesting boxes, a dove has recently given birth to a healthy brood and we hope this family will thrive. Our staff refills these bowls with grains and water twice a day and we shall continue this to make birds feel at home, he further said adding, this will also serve to sensitize the visitors and the parks’ workers to take care of the birds.”

According to Afshan who visits the F-9 Park on weekends, it was a great idea. As the weather turns warmer we see a large number of birds—doves and pigeons, sparrows and crows, cranes and kites, even migratory birds like geese and pelicans—taking refuge under the green shads and grooves in Islamabad’s parks and green belts.

However, she said, despite having green cover it was not easy to find water and feed under such hot conditions. Now the poor creatures can find food, water and shelter all at one place. “My children are so excited that every weekend they make it a point to bring grains and water to the park for their favourite birds,” she said.