I Saw My Darlings on a Dye-Fig Tree

Green pigeons have a special place in my heart

I live in a beautiful place in the midst of a terrible city. If I go outside anytime in a day and free my eyes, I see green all around. Big trees, small trees, tall trees, ponds, lakes, and birds — so many birds.

And if I take a walk in the evening, I hear the foxes quarreling with each other or a porcupine gently crossing an empty road, or the frogs playing a life and death game to cross a roadside wall.

Without the occasional disturbing sound that planes make, the environment here is lovely to experience. So, I walk almost every day to feel the natural vibe. Thus one day, I saw my darlings on a tree.

The lake of everything

My love for birds is boundless — I mean, I love birds more than human beings. Who doesn’t love them, right? Their lovely color combination, their singing, the way they fly — no doubt, nature could never be so beautiful without their existence.

My living area is a paradise for birds in this unfriendly concrete city of Dhaka. So birds visit our surrounding lakes, trees, ponds in abundance.

A few afternoons before, as usual, I went to the lake adjacent to my house to watch birds. I sat on a bench and gazed my eyes on the tranquil water. I saw a few cormorants swimming in the water, two kingfishers waiting on a distant tree, and many herons contemplating on their fish-hunt. And I saw a snake slowly directing water and approaching towards the horizon.

On the above sky, two black kites were keeping their sharp eyes on the water. Maybe they were busy auditing their territory. I looked down to see the movement of the snake.

At that very moment, I heard a sound from my left. I turn my head and tried to see from where the sound was coming. It was like something is clapping there. It’s a dye fig (Ficus Tinctoria) tree with millions of yellow figs. I heard the noise again.

I stood up and slowly went near the tree. And wow! I saw my darlings all over the tree, and it was incredible.

I saw my beloved on a dye-fig tree

The whole tree was taken by hundreds of yellow-footed green pigeons. We locally call them Harial birds. Their color made an excellent camouflage that it was nearly impossible to find them from a little distance.

I stood under the tree very silently to witness the beauty of my beloved birds. They were busy eating the yellow figs from the tree. Their body is colored light green, wings and head are a little grey-ish.

This common species of green pigeons have become a rarity in the cities. They live mostly in forest areas and nest on treetops. In my country, Bangladesh, we have six species of green pigeons. But it’s the first time I saw one of them in my area.

I was so delighted to see them playing and eating figs sitting on the tree. I was there until they all flew away after eating their heart content.

When they left the trees and flew over my head towards the destination unknown to me — I was in heaven. I mumbled, welcome to my area, my sweethearts! We will definitely meet again soon.

Green pigeon is the forest’s savior

Green pigeon is mostly seen across the regions of Asia and Africa. It has 29 species with wonderful color combinations and a variety of tails. Some of them have long tails, some medium-length tails, and others have wedge-shaped tails. The biggest species of green pigeons are found in the forests of Thailand, and Malaysia.

These beautiful birds generally live in undisturbed forests, away from humans. They love to stay in groups. But you may find them in pairs as well. They make their nest on the treetops and eat various fruits, nuts, and seeds.

They not only eat but also spread the seeds while they carry them for their little ones. And thus they spread the seeds, therefore, expand the forest.

To conclude

Go outside, take a walk, and see what is going on in your surroundings. It’s rich in beauty and diversity. Don’t die without experiencing the natural world.

While exploring the wilderness, if you see my darlings on any tree-branch, convey them my love and affection.

Tell them we are here to appreciate and speak for themselves. And we are sorry for the selfish ones among us who are destroying their habitats.

Thank you for reading.

If you are a lover of the environment, nature, and wildlife, you may enjoy the following articles published in The Environment.

**The School of Nature ** Color Your Life With Some Birds ** Where Have All the Birds Gone? **Global Warming Is Going to Destroy Your Children’s Life

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