Additional threats include nest poaching, hunting, poisoning, livestock intrusion, and uncontrolled tourism. Natural factors such as storms, lightning, heavy rainfall, and predation by crows, kites, snakes, and fishing cats also contribute to nest failure and chick mortality.
“All colonial waterbirds play a crucial role in wetland ecosystems, contributing to nutrient cycling, regulating food webs, and aiding in seed dispersal and vegetation regeneration,” said Allama Shibli Sadik, corresponding author and ornithologist at the Bangladesh Forest Department.
“Fluctuations in their populations often indicate the ecological health of wetlands. The loss of major colonies could have cascading effects on biodiversity and ecosystem balance,” he added.
The study highlights that colonial waterbirds have historically received limited conservation attention in Bangladesh.
Researchers called for stronger legal protection, restoration of key breeding and foraging habitats, and restrictions on fishing, cattle grazing, and human movement near colonies during breeding seasons.