In this video, a friend of Irfan took his family to visit deHakims Aviary.
He also brought a pair of birds to be released in the Aviary.
Previously, he also had brought birds to deHakims Aviary several times.
Last time, he had brought the chicks White-Breasted Waterhens.
The chicks had just lost their mother when found on a rice field bund.
Unfortunately, Irfan and his team forgot to document the moment when the White-Breasted
Waterhens arrived at deHakims Aviary.
So, what bird was brought by Irfan’s friend this time?
They are Ruby-Throated Bulbul.
It's The Aviary.
Before we look at the release of the birds, we want to remind you that if you like all
about birds, please don't forget to hit the subscribe button so you don't miss any information
about birds at deHakims Aviary.
Okay, without further ado, let's witness the moment of the Ruby-Throated Bulbul release.
Here are the birds from Bang Ucok.
They come from the island of Sumatra.
Are we allowed to release birds when it rains?
Yes, we can.
Can we do it?
Really?
Yes.
Wow, this is our first time releasing birds in the rain.
Are you ready, guys?
We will release them.
What are the names of these birds?
Ruby-Throated Bulbul.
Get ready for everything.
They are from Mandailing Natal District.
Ruby-Throated Bulbul.
Some people consider the Ruby-Throated Bulbul or Rubigula Dispar as a separate species.
However, others consider them to be a subspecies of the Black-Capped Bulbul.
The reason is quite strange.
Since ancient times, the Ruby-Throated Bulbul, Black-Capped Bulbul, and three other types
of Bulbul have been categorized under the same species, namely Pycnonotus Melanicterus.
Only in 2008 the birds were separated into five different species.
So basically, the Ruby-Throated Bulbul and the Black-Capped Bulbul are two different
bird species.
Even so, until now, there are still many people who consider the Ruby-Throated Bulbul a subspecies
of the Black-Capped Bulbul.
The Ruby-Throated Bulbul and the Black-Capped Bulbul do have their distinctive physical
characteristics.
Meanwhile, the throat of the Ruby-Throated Bulbul is decorated with ruby-red feathers.
For the rest, their physique is almost the same.
Their heads are pitch black, with a small crest often held up.
Their bodies which are about 18 cm long, are dominated by golden yellow.
Adults' bird's eyes are bright red, but juveniles' eyes are pale in colour.
The Ruby-Throated Bulbul is an endemic bird in Indonesia, more precisely in Sumatra, Java,
and Bali.
They are settlers birds who never migrate to distant areas.
Their habitat is in lowland forests, rainforests, and secondary forests up to 1,500 meters above
sea level, although they prefer the forest's edge.
They are indeed birds who like thick bushes, leaves, and tall trees in the forest.
They are relatively shy, so finding them directly in their habitat is not easy for us.
They often mingle in small groups of four to five birds in search of food.
Sometimes, the group contains Bulbuls of other species.
Their favourite food is fruit and insects, including their larvae.
However, they also like to eat plants from the genus ficus, lempeni, and tembelekan.
In addition, they often stop at Woodfordia floribunda to find nectar.
Ruby-Throated Bulbul breeds in August.
After mating, they build a nest made of grass and dry leaves glued together with spider
webs.
Their nests are cup-shaped with a deep bottom, located in bushes, tree stumps, or branching
branches.
In the nest, the female parent then produces two to four reddish-white, speckled eggs.
Several myths about the Ruby-Throated Bulbul are quite interesting or ridiculous, depending
on how we look at them.
First, it is said that these birds can bring sustenance, health, and good luck to those
who keep them.
In addition, there is also a myth that says that by keeping these birds, their owners
will be respected and loved by the people around the neighbourhood where they live.
Why can such a myth appear that there are people who believe it?
The reason is that the Indonesian people call the Ruby-Throated Bulbul "golden finches."
"Emas" in English means gold.
So, if we keep birds with golden body colours like Ruby-Throated Bulbuls, we will receive
abundant sustenance.
However, it's just a myth that has not been proven true.
Not everyone in Indonesia believes in this myth.
Do you believe it?
Better not, because Ruby-Throated Bulbul is in the Vulnerable category on the IUCN red
list.
Their population in the wild continues to decline— the main factor, especially for
the capture for the cagebird trade.
The reason they are kept as pets is not that these birds are often used as participants
in chirping competitions.
Many bird lovers are not interested in keeping the Ruby-Throated Bulbul because their voice
tends to be monotonous, even though they are diligent in singing.
So, what causes people to keep these birds?
Is it because they want to get a lot of sustenance and be respected by many people?
No, that's not the reason.
The reason is simple: the Ruby-Throated Bulbul is often used as an ornamental bird.
It's a shame, even though we can decorate our homes without having to raise birds, right?
So, that's the information about the Ruby-Throated Bulbul.
Hopefully, this video can be helpful for you.
See you in the next episode.