A study was conducted on morphometry of Asian House Shrew, Suncus murinus at Jahangirnagar University campus, Savar, Dhaka from December, 2010 to November, 2011. A total of 85 shrews (55 males and 30 females) were studied for morphometric analysis. The body length of shrews varied from 13cm to 18 cm (mean 15.36, sd±1.17). Males were significantly differed from females in size which made them sexually dimorphic (t = 10.02, df = 83, p< 0.005). The body length of males ranged from 14.5 cm to 18 cm (mean = 16, sd±0.82) and in females it ranged from 13 cm to 15.5 cm (mean = 14.19, sd±0.74). The body weight of shrews varied from 45 gm to 138 gm (mean = 85.52, sd±25.6). The weight of males ranged from 65 gm to 138 gm (mean = 99.6, sd±20.03) whereas the body weight of females ranged from 45 gm to 82 gm (mean = 59.73, sd±10.54). Body length was positively correlated to the body weight (r = 0.917) as well as tail length (r = 0.673) and limbs length (forelimb length, r = 0.875 and hindlimb length, r = 0.971) and found to be significant at 1% level of significance.Bangladesh J. Zool. 43(2): 313-319, 2015

The breeding ecology of the Asian pied starling (Gracupica contra) was studied between 2015 and 2016 at Jahangirnagar University (JU) campus to document the breeding period, nests and nest-site selection, clutch size, egg morphology, hatching and breeding success. Breeding activities of starling in JU campus started in late February and continued to early September. A total of 105 nests were recorded in two breeding seasons. The nests were loosely constructed out of straw into the shape of a dome with an entrance on the side. The average nest depth was 18±4.5 cm (n=21, range =12-29 cm) with a mean entrance diameter of 7.6±1.3 cm (n=21, range= 6-10 cm). Most of the nests (98%) were found in trees (98%), only 2% of them were found on the electric poles (2%). Overall, 17 tree species were utilized by the starlings for nesting and majority of the nests were found in Albizia procera (n=25), Gmelina arborea (n=17), and Swietenia mahagoni (n=13). The Asian pied starling nested between 3 and 18 meters (mean =10.3±3.5m) above the ground. Clutch size varied from 2 to 6 eggs with a mean size of 3.8±1.2 (n=21). Eggs were glossy blue with an average dimension of 26.6±1.6 mm×19.3±0.33 mm (n=35). Both sexes took part in incubation by rotation and fed the young. The average incubation and nestling period were 17.3±3.6 days (n=19, range=14-30) and 23±1.5 days (n=16, range=20-25), respectively. Out of the 80 eggs monitored, 63 eggs successfully hatched and 52 chicks reached their fledgeling stage, resulting in a breeding success of 65%. Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 10(1 & 2): 49-57, 2021 (June & December)

Nesting patterns of four species of mynas and starlings, Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis), Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus), the Asian-pied Starling (Gracupica contra) and Chestnut-tailed Mtarling (Sturnia malabarica) were studied in Jahangirnagar University campus from March to September in 2016. Nests were searched systematically throughout the study area and nesting parameters like nest dimensions, nest-site selection, tree species preference, nesting materials, clutch size and nesting success were examined. A total of 101 nests were recorded where 31 nests were of Common Myna, 10 of Jungle Myna, 49 of the Asian-pied Starling and 11 nests were of Chestnut-tailed Starling. Overall, the sturnids preferred nesting on trees (n=84) to anthropogenic structures (n=17). Common myna showed maximum variation in nest-site selection using tree holes (n=12), tree branches (n=10) and building cornices, holes or crevices (n=9) whereas Chestnut-tailed Starling nested only in tree cavities (n=11). Jungle Myna built nests both in tree holes (n=4) and in building holes and crevices (n=6). The Asian-pied Starlings built their domed nests mostly on tree branches (n=47) where 69% nests were peripheral and 31% were central in position. Out of 20 species of trees utilized for nesting purpose, the majority of nests were built on Whites iris Albizia procera (n=18) followed by Neem Azadirachta indica (n=10) and Mahogany Swietenia mahagoni (n=10). The nests were constructed between 2 and 18m (8±3.8m) from the ground level. Among 19 types of nesting materials recorded, twigs, leaves, straws, grasses, feathers, plastics and polythene were frequently used by all four species while the Asian-pied starling used more rubbish materials than other species. Highest nesting success (80%) was recorded in Common Myna whereas the Asian-pied Starling, Chestnut-tailed Starling and Jungle Myna had 77.8%, 75% and 66.7% of nesting success respectively. Adaptions to using different nesting sites in Common Myna and comparatively higher nesting height in the Asian-pied Starling may have facilitated the greater nesting success. Bangladesh J. Zool. 48(2): 321-334, 2020

A study was conducted on population organization and ranging pattern of rhesus macaque at Bandar Upazila, Narayanganj, Dhaka from December, 2009 to September, 2010. Direct count method was used to study the group size and composition, and ranging was determined by GPS coordination plotting on the map. A total of 66 monkeys (29 to 37 individuals) were found in two groups with a mean of 33±5.6. Among the population 7.6% adult male, 33.3% adult female, 9.1% sub-adult male, 7.6% sub-adult female, 25.8% juvenile and 16.7% was infant. The ratio between adult male and adult female was 1:4.4 and between adult and nonadults was 1:1.4. Day range length varied from 1543m to1716m (mean=1638.43±56.7). Home range was completely overlapped and varied negligibly from 45.2 ha. to 45.5 ha. (mean=45.32±0.2). They minimized conflictions by using different time to move. But the growing dependence of these urban macaques on human resources is a matter of concern. Therefore, conservation strategies should be directed to minimize this dependence.

Food and feeding behaviour of Chestnut-tailed Starling, Sturnia malabarica were studied at Jahangirnagar University Campus, Bangladesh, from August 2016 to March 2017. A total of 414 observations were made on the feeding maneuver and it was noted that they were omnivorous consuming 67.15% animal diet compared to 20.53%plant diet.They predominantly consumedinsect larvae(39%) followed by beetles (16%), nectar (14%), food wastes (12%), fruits (7%), dragonflies (7%), damselflies (3%), and worms (2%).Among the five types of feeding modes recorded,hang-upmode (37.92%) was major feeding technique in Chestnuttailed Starling while pecking mode (6.76%)was least used. Rain tree (Samanea saman) (33.76%) followed by White siris (Albizia procera) (30.55%) was recorded as the most utilized foraging plant while mostly preferred perching height by Chestnut-tailed Starling was 6-9m (44.9%) followed by 3-6m (31.6%). Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 8(1): 17-23, 2019 (June)