More Than a Hobby: Bird Enthusiasts' Chirping as a Survival Mechanism Against Life's Pressures

JAKARTA - Amid the increasingly heavy and exhausting pressures of urban life, some people find peace in something simple: the sound of birds chirping. Every morning, the chirps of birds in cages hung on the terraces of densely populated residential areas break the silence while soothing their owners’ minds. Sociologist from Universitas Negeri Jakarta (UNJ), Rakhmat Hidayat, views keeping singing birds as more than just a hobby. “This hobby functions as a coping mechanism or a way to endure life’s pressures,” said Rakhmat when contacted by Kompas.com on Thursday (7/5/2026). The sociologist stated that the bird chirping mania hobby develops through socialisation processes and cultural reproduction. This hobby is often passed down across generations, from siblings, fathers, or grandfathers to their children. Then, there are social environmental factors such as neighbours, communities, and bird markets that ultimately form their own appeal. The next factor that makes this hobby increasingly entrenched in society is the element of collectivity. This is because bird enthusiasts often gather, hold meetings, participate in inter-regional or city competitions, and are usually connected through WhatsApp groups. In many areas, the habit of keeping singing birds is a local cultural practice often associated with masculinity, perseverance, and the aesthetics of sound. “Bird owners are often seen as masculine and patient because they must care for the birds meticulously,” Rakhmat added. This becomes a symbol of values that are passed down and maintained as something unique and rare, so people greatly enjoy it. In sociology, humans give meaning to objects through social interaction. Here, birds become “emotional subjects”, not just objects. This is what makes singing birds considered equal to conversational companions or life partners, similar to how people keep cats or dogs. Buying birds at high prices is often not just about the quality of their voices, but also about social value.