Daily Times

PESHAWAR: Bird keeping is not a popular hobby in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, mainly due to superstitious belief that keeping birds, especially pigeons, may bring bad luck. Besides, the practice is considered a sin by many. 40-year-old Raza Shah, who has earned a name for himself as bird keeper, says people across the region visit him for treatment of their ill birds. He provides treatment and advice without charging any fee. He said that it all started when a little bird with a congenital anomaly was brought to him. “Its feet were twisted by birth. I broke one of its legs, and bandaged it. After six days, the foot was cured. When I did the same thing with the second foot, it worked again” explains Shah. “Once the bird started running, it was the happiest moment of my life.”

Now, half of Raza’s home is designated for bird services while family members live in the second half. His collection includes mostly parrots of different breeds, such as lovebirds, cocktail, cockatoo (which could be valued up to Rs. 1.2 Million) and macaws amongst others. He has a great amount of pigeons of different kinds.

He raises birds not just as a hobby, but for commercial aspects as well. For those interested in joining trade, he advises not to start with purchasing expensive parrots. “Start with normal breeds such as lovebirds. The birds reproduce rapidly and if the keeper takes proper care of their food and medicine, a healthy grown up pair can be sold for Rs. 5,000.

Raza is dedicated to maintaining proper care of his birds. “I look after my birds better than my children!” he said. He further explained that once his son became concerned that keeping birds caged may constitute a religious offense, and brought home a Mufti to verify. “Once the Mufti saw the kind of facilities and care I provided for my birds, his opinion changed. I told the Mufti that even if I release these birds, they would likely fall prey to a predatory bird, or be captured by an untrained person. The Mufti agreed that I am not committing any sin by keeping these birds. Mr Shah said that keeping the birds is not a hobby but a passion for some, and that certainly applied to him.