Halabja man helps birds survive drought with DIY feeders

HALABJA — A young man in Halabja is helping birds survive the summer heat by distributing food and water in handmade feeders crafted from recycled plastic bottles.

Hawkar Ahmad, a photographer from the Halabja governorate, has spent the past three years working on the project using simple materials to create bird feeders, which he places in trees and on walls throughout the area. While the effort began in Halabja city, this summer Ahmad expanded it to surrounding areas including Hawraman and Sharazoor, where many natural springs have dried up.

“Due to drought, many springs have dried up,” Ahmad said. “I’ve seen birds die from thirst with my own eyes.”

Halabja governorate recorded just 412 millimeters of rainfall through May 5 this year, down from 811 millimeters during the same period last year. No rain has been recorded since early May, raising concerns about drought and agricultural losses across the mountainous region.

Ahmad said he has now installed feeders in 45 locations. “In the first and second years, I only did this in Halabja. But this year, I’ve extended it to Hawraman, Sharazoor,” he said.

Sharing updates and photos of his work on Facebook, Ahmad encouraged others to get involved. “Let’s all work together to support birds this summer,” he wrote, calling on the public to take small but meaningful steps to protect local wildlife amid worsening dry conditions.