“Wild birds are our gold”: What livelihood implications does it hold for local communities in Chemba district, Tanzania?

Hunting wild birds for food, ornaments, and business purposes has been a longstanding practice in the Chemba district, and local communities consider the wild bird business as the "gold" that transforms their livelihoods. This article builds on a livelihood framework to document livelihoods gained from wild bird business across livelihood capitals at the household level. We conducted a 146-household survey, 16 interviews, 4 focus group discussions, and observations to gain field information that helped to develop the article. Results show that Quelea quelea species are the most targeted wild birds; however, other, non-targeted species were harvested in the study villages. There are significant livelihood contributions among wild bird hunters, processors, and sellers, with disproportionate benefits across the livelihood assets in the study area. The mean weekly income from selling live wild birds varies across the villages and ranges between USD 13.5 and 18.48. A significant difference is observed when comparing the income gained from selling roasted wild bird meat and selling live birds. The most commonly acquired physical assets are related to buying consumables to meet family needs, followed by buying livestock and bricks for the construction of houses. Those who engage in the wild bird business also diversify their livelihood strategies by engaging in farming and non-farming activities. We argue that, despite the different livelihoods gained from hunting and selling live or roasted wild birds’ meat, the practice in the study area should be regulated to ensure that the health of wild bird consumers and the ecological functions of the targeted wild bird species are not compromised. The article provides socio-ecological information that is useful in designing sustainable methods for harvesting Quelea quelea while protecting other bird species in central Tanzania and elsewhere with similar experiences.