Do You Know Birds Sometimes Exhibit Benevolent Feelings?

By Author: allan
Total Articles: 366
Comment this article

Father's Day is coming! We carry a large vareity of best Replica Watches such as Rolex Replica Wtches, Breitling Replica Watches, Omega Replica Watches, IWC Replica Watches, Cartier Replica Watches,TAG Heuer Replica Watches,and much more. Birds sometimes exhibit benevolent feelings; they will feed the deserted young ones even of distinct species, but this perhaps ought to be considered as a mistaken instinct. They will feed adult birds of their own species which have become blind. Mr. Buxton gives a curious account of a parrot which took care of a frost-bitten and crippled bird of a distinct species, cleansed her feathers and defended her from the attacks of the other parrots. It is a still more curious fact that these birds apparently show some sympathy for the pleasures of their fellows. When a pair of cockatoos made a nest in an acacia tree, "it was ridiculous to see the extravagant interest taken in the matter by the others of the same species . " These parrots also evinced unbounded curiosity and clearly ...
... had "the idea of property and possession".

Birds possess acute powers of observation. Every mated bird, of course, recognizes its fellow . Birds under confinement distinguish different persons, as is proved by the strong and permanent antipathy or affection which they show without any apparent cause toward certain individuals. I have heard of numerous instances with jays, partridges, canaries, and especially bullfinches. Mr. Hussey has described in how extraordinary a manner a tamed partridge recognized everybody; and its likes and dislikes were very strong. This bird seemed "fond of gay colors, and no new gown or cap could be put on without catching his attention". Mr. Hewitt has described the habits of some ducks (recently descended from wild birds) which at the approach of a strange dog or cat would rush headlong into the water and exhaust them-selves in their attempts to escape; but they knew Mr. Hewitt's own dogs and cats so well that they would lie down and bask in the sun close to them.

Mr. Jenner Weir is convinced that birds pay particular attention to the colors of other birds, sometimes out of jealousy and sometimes as a sign of kinship. Thus he turned a reed-bunting, which had acquired its black headdress, into his aviary, and the newcomer was not noticed by any bird except by a bullfinch, which is likewise black-headed. This bullfinch was a very quiet bird, and had never before quarreled with any of its comrades, including another reed-bunting, which had not as yet become black-headed; but the reed-bunting with a black head was so unmercifully treated that it had to be removed.