Unlike most streets in Hanoi, the birds in Hoang Hoa Tham Street aren’t on skewers. The tree-lined street is alive with the sounds of songs as birds of all shapes and sizes sit in cages hanging from shop fronts.
Caged birds are very popular in Vietnam, as they bring the sound of the countryside into an inner city home. Phan Van Hanh, who owns a shop on Hoang Hoa Tham tells us more, “There are special criteria to evaluate a bird. Most important is the voice and then the appearance. Each species of bird has its own special voice.”
Hanh, who keeps about 30 birds, says each species creates a special ambience in the home. “The most famous is the nightingale, which has a very clear voice and sounds like it is talking to us. I like the cu gay (spotted dove), and chao mao (red-whiskered bulbul), it conjures the image of an immense ripening rice paddy. The voice of son ca, chich choe (magpie) sounds like a brook murmuring down through low hills and forests. Vanh khuyen (white eys) is small and gentle with a high voice.”
The canary and magpie are mostly sold for their appearance, while the famous singers are typically the nightingale, khuou (Chinese laughing-thrush) and hong hoang (great hornbill). This group also includes ‘talking’ birds, like the parrot, nhong (rackle) and sao (starling), he says.
Birds are also bought for fighting, though the practice has been banned under gambling laws. According to bird collectors, the best fighters apart from roosters are chich choe (magpie-robin) and chia voi (wagtail).
Nguyen Van Phong is also a well-known bird-collector in the capital. His four-storey house in Giai Phong Street is filled with bird cages.
“Raising birds is not difficult but it requires a lot of patience,” the 55-year-old retired teacher says. “Different kinds of birds need different raising and training techniques. You have to know about the food they need, diseases they are prone to, how to protect them from the cold winter or hot summer, and so on. It takes about two years to train a bird, depending on the species.”
Finding the right cage is also important, Phong says. “Birds should have as much freedom as possible,” Phong shares, “For example, nightingales are usually kept in high cages while hong hoang (great hornbill) live in smaller ones. Starling and rackle like bell-shaped cages.”
Everyday cages are made from bamboo or wood and expensive ones can be made from tortoiseshell or elephant’s tusk.
Two years of training can be very rewarding, Phong says. He goes into the back of his house and comes out carrying a yeng (hill myna) which he has been raising for five years.
“I’m teaching it to speak,” he says.
“People have offered me tens of million of dong to buy the bird, but I always refuse. It would be like selling a friend."
Bird collecting is not limited to any one age group, Phong says. Older people usually choose birds with beautiful voices while younger generations tend to like those with a strong-character like falcons or spotted doves. There are many bird collecting clubs in town, where enthusiasts gather to talk birds with each other.
One reason why the hobby is so popular is because it doesn’t weigh too heavy on your wallet. A cage usually costs around VND50,000. The price of a bird varies according to the species and condition.
Birds are also sold on Tang Bat Ho Street, Hang Da Market or Mo Market – the places to go if you want to bring the sound of the countryside into your home.
A nice house for beautiful white eys.
Bird lovers gather around to share their passion.
