India, Nov. 26 -- Across the Terai-the marshy lowlands that straddle the border of northern India and southern Nepal-a silent extinction is taking place. It does not concern megafauna like tigers or leopards, but a small yellow-coloured bird.

In 2024, not a single female Finn's Baya was seen at the Haripura Dam in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar and the surrounding Terai. This area is the last bastion of the bird. Cut to this year and neither male nor female birds have been spotted, something which has ornithologists alarmed.

The Finn's Baya (Ploceus megarhynchus) is known by many names. Due to its yellow colour, it is called Finn's Weaver, Yellow Weaver and Himalayan Weaver. In Uttarakhand, it is called Pahari (hill) Baya.

These birds...