Breeding bulbuls can be a ticklish business
JAKARTA (JP): When it comes to the ways of the birds and the bees, feathered creatures have their own distinct ways of coming together. And then there is cucak rawa, the yellow-crowned bulbul.
They fight, love and often kill, too, in the mating game.
Which is not to say that they are dangerous creatures, according to Ismu Sutanto Suwelo, a Bandung breeder of the bulbul who owns 71 pairs.
"They are just extremely picky about whom they want to mate with," he said.
To get them to mate, he cages the more aggressive bird -- it can be either the male or female -- in a specially designed bird pen. He closely follows particular guidelines on the bird's diet, clean water for drinking and bathing and a quiet environment.
"Eventually both will stop bickering and hating each other... you'll know this once they start cooing. That's the time when you set their marriage bed."
Slice a coconut into half, drain it of its fluid, dry and place pine leaves on it and their favorite venue for mating is ready. Nevertheless, despite the comfortable "bed", good diet, healthy and quiet conditions, one of the mates could still end up being pecked to death.
All of this and more about the bulbul breeding industry, designs and setting of the bird pens and its expensive diets were the topics at a recent workshop at the Bird Park of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in East Jakarta.
The workshop, organized by the Indonesian Birds Association and the Bird Park, was attended by breeders from at least 13 provinces.
Like other singing birds such as the perkutut (turtle doves), the bulbul is a popular pet here.
The bulbul (Pycnonotos zeylanicus) is native to Sumatra, Nias, Kalimantan and West Java. Its feathers are gray, brown and olive green, sometimes combined with yellow, white or black. These colors define their brows, ears and throats.
Its lifespan is four to five years. The bird, usually measuring less than 30 cms long with a tail of about two centimeters long, requires considerable attention if chosen for breeding or as a pet.
Ismu said he feeds one bird 20 crickets, some dog food, a couple of bananas, earthworms and vitamins dissolved in water each day.
"Avoid feeding the birds kroto (red ant eggs) sold in bird shops because they are mostly sprayed with vinegar to keep them fresh and the bird could suffer from diarrhea after eating that."
According to bird breeders present at the workshop, the going price for a bulbul with a pleasant voice ranges from Rp 300,000 to Rp 750,000. Birds which have an exceptional voice and warble away frequently can even fetch a price up to Rp 5 million, according to Oman Rochman, another Bandung breeder.
Birds lovers hold regular singing contests for the breed -- a title means a higher selling price.
Oman said that people normally bought the birds either for its voice or to breed.
Prospective buyers should be careful when choosing their bird, he said.
Bulbuls sold in the market are easily influenced by the noises around them, including those on the streets. This altered their natural voices.
"Do not buy the bird unless you hear it singing for you... otherwise they could very well be as dumb as a mute. These birds are known as 'empty cassettes'," he said. (ylt)