What, Exactly, Is Happening In This Video?

[bifftastic]

So, I was surfing around, like you do, then came across this video. At first I just thought, birds in cages at a market, then I noticed all the people around were, seemingly, involved in something, sounds like some kind of contest but I can't for the life of me work out what is going on!

I'm sure you knowledgeable folks here on TV can advise me as to what it is.

thoughts so far Bird Auction? Not really, there are many shouts of 'oiiii!' like it's a contest, but the birds don't appear to be doing anything!

They're not fighting, but going off the enthusiasm, whistle blowing etc. I'm guessing there;s money/betting involved

http://www.videomeli...QodQmdK-s/.html

Edit, tried to embed the vid but it wasn't having it

[spud1]

Apparently it's a contest of which bird sings the loudest.Strange hobby.Some of the birds can exchange money for the tune(no pun) of 100k baht.

[sbk]

yes its a very popular hobby for many Thais, this bird singing in the cage and you often see get togethers where they all bring their birds in to sing together.

I don't know why its any stranger than people who collect toy cars or painstakingly put small boats into bottles or any of the other myriad of hobbies people have in the west. Personally, I've never gotten embroidery. Wouldn't all those tiny little stitches do your hands and eyesight in?

[angiud]

Hobby?

They just keep those birds because they bet money on them.

They love them insofar they can win money.

Something like the roosters trained for the cockfighting.

[bifftastic]

Cool, thanks everyone

I thought there was some kind of competition going on! Bird song contest, nice :-)

It did sound, from the enthusiasm in the crowd, that there might be a small wager or two going on still, livens up a bird song contest doesn't it?

As for it being a strange hobby, how about train spotting?

[Loz]

folk will bet on anything. I imagine that those birds live very well though... in velvet lined cages and eating only the finest seed. clearly they are prized possesions. hmmm possessions, and yet, this is a buddist..oh, don't go there...

[Atmos]

when we lived in Phuket some neighbours were fanatical about the bird singing contests, we went to a few - the road up to Big Buddha from Chalong has competitions on Wednesdays or Thursdays (seemed to vary). Owners' behaviour is fascinating - leaping about talking to their birds encouraging them to sing . . .very entertaining if you get the opportunity.

Found this article about a competition in Yala

Thai Muslim villagers look at birds in cages during in a bird-singing contest in Yala province, about 1,100 km (683 miles) south of Bangkok March 7, 2010. About 6,000 birds took part in the competition. (Reuters)

Thai Muslim villagers look at birds in cages during in a bird-singing contest in Yala province, about 1,100 km (683 miles) south of Bangkok March 7, 2010. About 6,000 birds took part in the competition. (Reuters)

[Atmos]

and an item from the Bangkok Post. I Googled but couldn't find an article from one of the Phuket newspapers in 2009, from memory a bird had changed hands for 300,000 baht.

In a red-whiskered bulbul singing competition, bird owners continuously call out their birds' names and make specific noises to urge them to sing, while the referee carefully listens and counts the warbled notes. The atmosphere is rather easy-going, with all parties generally willing to compromise.

On the day Spectrum was in attendance at a contest held earlier this month in Ban Na district of Nakhon Nayok province, only one small conflict occurred between a bird owner and a referee over the counting. The winners are happy, while the losers murmur just a little while taking the cages down from the hangers.

On this particular Sunday a vacant lot in Ban Na became a temporary arena for several hundred red-whiskered bulbuls to prove their singing prowess. It was just one of many contests that weekend organised all over the country, and a rather small one at that. It was, however, the first such event organised in Ban Na district, where there are a large number of locals who raise the birds. They've recently set up a club with connections to similar groups nationwide.

Full article here: My link

[bifftastic]

folk will bet on anything. I imagine that those birds live very well though... in velvet lined cages and eating only the finest seed. clearly they are prized possesions. hmmm possessions, and yet, this is a buddist..oh, don't go there...

companions, let's call them companions shall we

[Atmos]

and again;article from 2008 mentions 300,000 baht 'value' on a top bird

Throughout Thailand's south especially, singing birds are highly prized and kept as pets in many families. Birds can fetch as much as 300,000 baht. The best ones have to be carefully protected against bird thieves. This can pose a problem because singing birds, mostly the red-whiskered bulbul (nok krong hua juck) actually enjoy being out in the sunshine.

[hanno]

In a red-whiskered bulbul singing competition

Amazing, as they are not exactly melodious.

[bifftastic]

Thanks Genghis61, very interesting

[bifftastic]

In a red-whiskered bulbul singing competition

Amazing, as they are not exactly melodious.

true! so could you turn up with a nightingale and clean up?