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 customary laws, the tribe limits the number of trees that can be cut in the protected area annually, Hyolmo reports.
It’s also against customary law for the Dayak Iban to trade omen birds.
Dayak Iban elders pass on their traditional knowledge about medicinal plants and omen birds to the next generation through their Indigenous school.
However, this is becoming challenging as younger members leave the community to study elsewhere, 18-year-old filmmaker Kynan Tegar told Mongabay.
“There was a sense of shame in my father’s generation for being Indigenous. They had to cover up their tattoos or they would lose their jobs,” Kynan said, adding that discrimination had prevented them from being proud of their identity.
To reconnect with their roots and reclaim their identity, Kynan made a documentary called Indai Apai Darah (“Mother Father Blood”) that captured their elders’ work in protecting their homes and heritage. Kynan said his hope is that the film will engage fellow young members of the tribe.
Panji said the Dayak Iban are key to protecting songbirds from the illegal wildlife trade. “We have to acknowledge that local wisdom and knowledge are important to make sure conservation projects effectively work,” he said.
This is a summary of “Borneo’s ‘omen birds’ find a staunch guardian in Indigenous Dayak Iban elders” by Sonam Lama Hyolmo.
Banner image of a scarlet-rumped trogon (Harpactes duvaucelii) in Sumatra, courtesy of Panji Gusti Akbar.
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