Increasing demand for songbirds in the songbird trade is raising the risk of “secondary extinctions” of so-called “master birds” in Southeast Asia, conservationists warn.

While these birds never enter the region’s songbird singing competitions, they have unique qualities to their songs. When caged near songbirds, elements of their calls can be learned, says Vincent Nijman, lead author of research documenting their demise and director of EcoVerde Global Consulting.

They almost act as vocal coaches: Proximity to master birds can improve the songs of contest competitors like the white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus), a bird prized for its melodic voice, increasing their chances of success. Judges evaluate birds in these contests on the duration of their song, rhythm, showmanship and volume.

Researchers surveyed markets across Indonesia from 2011 to 2025, looking for crested jayshrikes (Platylophus galericulatus), a popular master bird. They discovered that they were sold openly at markets in Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Bali, Lombok and Sulawesi. Their findings were published recently in the journal Integrative Conservation.

An added driver of the demand for master birds is the energy these birds bring. There’s a belief that masters pass on parts of their song but also impart confidence to songbirds. That conclusion is based on conversations with trappers, traders and competitors, says Simon Bruslund, director of global development at the Copenhagen Zoo, who was not involved in this study.

“It’s the energy transfer from the master bird to the recipient bird that’s important,” he says.

He adds that that popularity of masters is reliant on fashions and trends: Birds drop in and out of favor, partly based on the quality of their calls, as well as their energy. Now it appears the crested jayshrike is one of those in vogue.

There is a need for more research of this kind investigating the impact of trade on lesser-known bird species, says Chris Shepherd, a senior conservationists at the Center for Conservation Biology who wasn’t involved in this study.

“Who’s even heard of this bird?” he says. “It’s yet another part of the Asian songbird trade that’s threatening a very long list of species, but one that’s either unknown or has been overlooked.”

Read the full article about the songbird trade and secondary extinctions by Sean Mowbray at Mongabay.