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Birds, a Driving Force Behind Instructor

DUBAI - “Just follow the sound of the birds…” is how Mohammad Azad directs visitors to his home in Deira. You are unlikely to miss the cacophony of sounds of not less than 156 birds adorning his villa, drowning all other
sounds around.

An instructor at the Belhasa driving institute, Azad’s affection for birds is no ordinary hobby. It’s a strong passion for the winged wonders.

“I love birds,” he says — an understatement for someone who has converted a part of his home into a sanctuary to house his feathered friends. “I have around nine to 10 species of birds. The ones I like the most are parrots,” said Azad.

“They speak, shake hands, kiss, religiously say Allah. Ask them ‘Kiska mithu?’ (whose parrot) and they’ll answer, ‘pappa ka mithu’ (father’s parrot),” he gushes proudly. It all began when Azad’s mother placed a fledgling into his adolescent hands. He felt an instant connection with it.

“Back then, I could not even pronounce the names of the birds I had. For the last eight years, I have been welcoming new members to my
 feathered family.”

Azad speaks with almost maternal passion about the time when an egg hatches. “My peacocks and a breed of fighter cocks hatched in my backyard. I had obtained the eggs from Pakistan and bred them in a machine. When you see them peeking out through the cracked egg shell into our world — that moment is unforgettable!”

Many of his cuckoos, partridges and parrots are from the UAE market. “A variety of species are available in the Sharjah animal market. On Fridays, especially, private owners sell 
exquisite birds.”

A whistle here, a song there and an occasional wail, it’s round-the-clock duty for his joint family. “It’s about understanding what their sounds stand for. Like, they make distinctive sounds when they want
to mate. My hens will silently go off to bed even if they have not been fed. But, the parrots will make a ruckus through the night. My peacocks are like watchdogs. They wail if they sense intruders,” he said, with an understanding of the sounds he has acquired merely by observation through the years.

Surprisingly, the upkeep of such a large number of birds is hardly a burden to him. “On an average I spend around Dh 1000 a month on them. They aren’t picky about food,” he laughs. “Cleaning isn’t a hassle either. Most of them take care of themselves. For the love birds and parrots, an occasional cleaning in a tub of lukewarm water suffices.”

With birds flying overhead, roaming the streets freely and chirping constantly, has his entourage ever attracted complaints? “Initially, I did receive a few but I’ve been in the same locality for the last 25 years and now the community has come around to loving my birds. So, when my hens walk the roads, no one ever kicks or shoos them off.”

However, after years of twittering, it will all fall silent when Azad shifts into an apartment. “It is going to be terrible. I will not be able to shift all of them into my new home. Giving them up will be the most difficult thing for me. I am on the lookout for good homes for all of my beautiful winged companions.”

afshan@khaleejtimes.com