The absurdity of nature love through aviary bird-keeping

As mounting evidence highlights the human-driven extinction of avian species, reconnecting people with nature – particularly where birds are concerned – has become essential for engaging the public in conservation and the preservation of avian biodiversity. Paradoxically, heightened awareness of the benefits birds bring has fueled the rise of aviary bird-keeping for entertainment in Vietnam. This paper seeks to unravel the absurdity of bird keepers who claim to love nature and support conservation while engaging in practices that exploit and commodify birds for human interests. Through contrasting the values generated by birds in aviaries with those in natural habitats, the role of an eco-deficit culture – or, more fundamentally, humanity’s insatiable greed – in fostering this absurd form of ‘nature love’ is highlighted.