My 1st Pycnonotus 'Cucak Rawa' Zeylanicus [Straw-Headed Bulbul]

My 1st Pycnonotus 'Cucak Rawa' Zeylanicus [Straw-Headed Bulbul] I bought in 1983, in Kupang Bird Market, Surabaya. It cost me about Rp. 15,000.- [Fifteen Thousands Rupiah], it was a lot of money to me at that time. I had to collect and save my daily pocket money [my parents gave me a little money on daily basis] for over than 2 [two] months. It was a hard effort to me, isn't it? I did that based on my hobby and I loved it that much.

The birds were kept in a cage, with a population about 50 birds. It wasn't a good place for those birds as the survival mode had to be taken by the birds. The birds condition was not good at all. The feathers were dirt, tarnish and wet. The eyes were not shine. Some of them looks in sick/ill condition. The birds looks same and similar, you can not even look which one is male and female. Especially for the new comer as I am.

When the buyer had chosen the bird they wanted, the water mark is required and this will be done by spraying water onto the chosen bird. It will lead the seller to catch it. When the bird is in hand, then it will be stored in a paper case [for the buyer to bring it home] made from the paper of portland cement sack, with some small holes as ventilation. It seems very ruthless as the bags is not designed to retain pressing or stressing [will hurts the bird], the smell and vapor of portland cement is still in it, breathing will be a torment in there also. But that's all happened.

I had chosen the best one [in my opinion, based on my own visual observation only], ignoring the sexing. Took the bird to home, put in the cage, then feed it with banana, industrial made bird food and some extra fooding such as crickets and ant eggs. That was what I remembered. In the morning, next day, I started taking care of it, as the same treatment to my other birds I collected. Cleaning the cage, feed it, spray water on it for morning bath and the put it under the morning sun to make it feel warm and also to terminate the virus or other disease source in the cage.

The bird, the Straw-Headed Bulbul I bought yesterday, just sit still in its perch. Looked get cold by the bathing. I just left it as is for couple hours as usual, as the daily birds caring I did.

After couple hours, I thought they had enough sunlight, so I have to put the in the house to their own places as the ordinary place I put. I have surprised that time, I did not found the new Straw-Headed Bulbul on the perch. I took down the cage from the hook where I hung it and I got the bird already laid in the base of the cage. I said, damned! It died.

It took tens of years to find out why it could be died in short period of caring like that. I've learned from other same experiences in next few years after that, talked to other expert, read the references books, then I got the lesson from the case. Here we are, the most important lesson today:[See the words in capital letters...]
The fact, the bird was caught from the wild, get stressed, not in full health condition by bad feeding during the process of transporting. They also got bad experiences of treatment since got caught until it got placed in the road side to be sold. So, when it got sprayed by cold water in the morning, after got cold wind blows at night [I put the bird in the outside of the house at night without cage curtain cover], they were get shocked. The bad news is, the shock condition causes sudden death.
NEVER EVER TREAT A NEW [WILD CAUGHT] BIRD WITH WATER FOR BATHING... [at least until it looks get better in its health]

Oh my....
But I'm not feel so sorry for that, people shall learn by doing... right?