Lumbini, May 8 -- Forests across Nepal are now resonating with the melodic calls and constant chatter of summer migratory birds as spring reaches its peak in the country. Their sounds echo through woodlands, grasslands and farmlands, drawing visitors and signalling seasonal ecological activity. While some birds are nesting, others are busy feeding and raising their chicks.

Most of the birds currently found in Nepal's forests and grasslands have travelled hundreds or even thousands of miles in search of favourable habitats. But experts warn that shrinking habitats, encroachment on wetlands, increasing use of chemical fertilisers and widespread forest fires are making survival increasingly difficult for migratory birds in Nepal.

These pre...