Brian Jeffrey
At 7 am, a 48-year-old man named Nguyen Hoang Binh from Binh Thanh district arrived at Le Van Tam Park in district 1 driving a modified three-wheeled vehicle. Over the years, he has developed a routine of feeding wild birds like pigeons and sparrows who eagerly wait in the park for his arrival.
Once he parked, Binh took out a bag of grains and spread it on the ground. Instantly, the wild pigeons dove down to feast, while the smaller sparrows patiently waited their turn to join in after the pigeons had eaten.
This charming sight of birds pecking at the food delighted onlookers, some of whom captured the moment with their cameras.
Binh shared with VietNamNet that he has been a bird feeder for nearly a decade. In his earlier days, he sold lottery tickets along Le Duan Road in district 1. When sales were slow, he found comfort in watching sparrows flit from tree to ground in search of food.
He found joy in the sight of the sparrows and decided to befriend them by sharing his food. Eventually, these feathered companions grew accustomed to his presence and the goodies he provided.
“Each morning, they gathered where I sold lottery tickets, eagerly awaiting my arrival. They would swoop down, surround me, and wait patiently for their food,” he recalled fondly.
After parting ways with the birds at Le Duan Road, Binh moved his lottery ticket sales to Le Van Tam Park, filled with trees home to many birds. Here, he continued his daily feeding ritual while selling tickets.
Once the park quieted down around 9 am, he relocated to the Tran Quoc Toan area in district 3 to continue his sales.
In the afternoon at 2 pm, on his way to collect tickets for the next day, he made another stop at the park to feed the birds. Concerned for their well-being, he ensured to feed them once more before heading back to his rental room for the night.
After years of bonding with the birds, Binh has become attuned to their preferences. He knows that pigeons enjoy grains and bran pellets, while sparrows tend to eat unhusked rice. Despite facing personal challenges, he includes bird feeding in his daily budget.
Born and raised in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh, who suffers from partial paralysis, supports himself by selling lottery tickets. He sells around 200 tickets each day, earning around VND200,000, just enough to cover rent and medication. Still, he manages to set aside funds daily for the birds. Initially, he spent about VND45,000 a day on bird food, a hefty sum considering his limited income. Nowadays, he has reduced that to VND30,000 since more people are also feeding the birds.
“The birds are integral to my life; they are friends that bring me joy and ease my loneliness,” Binh explained.
Reflecting on the Covid-19 days, he recalled how he couldn’t feed the birds due to lockdowns. Upon returning after the pandemic, he was saddened to find that the birds had lost weight.
“It pains me to see sparrows trapped and sold. As long as I can, I will continue to feed them,” he vowed.
