TO GO WITH Indonesia-birds-environment-c

TO GO WITH Indonesia-birds-environment-culture,FEATURE by Jano GibsonIn this photograph taken January 30, 2011, Indonesian telecom executive and bird enthusiast Duta Ong watches his pentet singing bird (scientifiic name: Lanius schach) before a competition in Tangerang outside Jakarta. The bird singing industry contributes more than 80 million USD per year to Indonesia's economy through the sale of birds, the manufacture of cages and the production of live food like worms and crickets, according to a study conducted in 2006 by Oxford University and Birds Indonesia. The study estimated almost a million songbirds are kept in captivity in the country, with about 75,000 people actively involved in bird singing competitions. Ong keeps a collection of 130 singing birds. AFP PHOTO / ROMEO GACAD (Photo credit should read ROMEO GACAD/AFP via Getty Images)