In the rainforests of West Kalimantan, in Indonesian Borneo, the Indigenous Dayak Iban listen to what they call “omen birds,” or birds they say sing messages from spirits, Mongabay’s Sonam Lama Hyolmo reported in November 2024. These omen birds include species such as the white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabarincus), scarlet-rumped trogon (Harpactes duvaucelii) and Diard’s trogon (Harpactes diardii), which play an important part in the tribe’s daily life. However, their populations have declined due to deforestation and the songbird trade. “The culture of listening to omen birds is getting rare now, but we still view the birds as messengers in Sungai Utik,” Hermanus Husin, a Dayak elder from the Sungai Utik community, told Hyolmo. The Dayak Iban of Sungai Utik have served as stewards of the land for generations, protecting a swath of rainforest the size of the city of Paris. They were awarded the U.N.’s Equator Prize in 2019 for their important work in defending Borneo’s rainforest from illegal loggers, oil palm plantations and other corporate interests. But omen songbirds such as the white-rumped shama have become popular due to their striking plumage and voice. They’re often caught and caged, and entered into singing competitions for cash prizes, Hyolmo writes. A report estimates 70 million birds can be found in 12 million homes in Java alone. Ornithologist Panji Gusti Akbar told Mongabay this means there might be more caged birds than those in the wild. For the Dayak Iban, a healthy, intact forest is key for the birds to thrive. Based on their…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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