dutch sport competitive animal sport male common compete highest number bird calls hour called sitting primarily active dutch speaking region flanders belgium traces origins competitions held flemish merchants considered traditional flemish culture estimated enthusiasts called breeding birds year animal rights activists opposed sport history description contest row small housing single male lined approximately feet apart street close proximity increases number calls birds sing mates establish territory begins ends contest red flag time bird sings correct terminating flourish tally mark chalk long wooden stick bird singing song times hour wins contest champion regularly sing hundreds calls contests history practices earliest known records sources advocating slightly earlier origin flemish merchants competing late nineteenth century popularity diminished significantly saw resurgence world war estimated breeding birds year popularity folk sport 21st century museum sport village municipality belgium use variety methods increase number calls birds techniques develop singing include selective breeding programs high protein music recordings bird song wild generally begin singing spring mating season keepers use artificial lights placed encourage increased song claim different regions belgium sing different birds dutch speaking flanders singing dutch french speaking wallonia singing french use dutch describe supposed types suggested refer simple difference calling literally linked flemish communities belgium suggest simply means foreign minute regional differences song observed belgium differences reliably distinguishable use officially recognized subspecies belgium cheating incidents sports cheating scandals accusations artificial sang record hour owner later accused bird contestant sang exactly number calls rounds box opened mini player discovered opposition sport history certain attributes sport garnered criticism early proponents sport blind birds hot order reduce visual celebrated english author poet member said written poem blinded bird protest practice campaign blind world war veterans banned practice today birds kept small wooden boxes let air modern animal rights activists accuse trainers birds singing natural healthy playing looped recordings calls birds intentionally small dark contest boxes cruel popular bird countries forbidden european_union catch birds wild despite wild birds sing better captive ones populations currently considered threatened court case upheld law banning capture wild
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