I´ve never had any bird as a pet in my life. They always came to me. Robins, seagulls, lapwings, owls, even cranes. You name it. They don´t fear me. I don´t know if that´s a good thing, it just is. I stay where I am and they come around. Sometimes I happen to have a camera at hand.
14 comments:
How intensely they look at you! What clear photos. I think you must have a good camera. Here in my study, whose window faces north and occupies an upstairs corner, so that I see an expanse of wall as well as the landscape of a hill rising straight ahead, I'm occasionally approached by various creatures looking in: wasps, birds - even though they hardly have anywhere to perch, they flutter curiously. But the bird-feeder, full of dried seeds and insect larvae, has to be hung at the other end of the backyard. Here it is too exposed.
I've noticed that the bird-play I see out of the window is about flirting and fighting with one another as much as it is about feeding. They do bold things to impress, and I wonder if that is the reason for these occasional daring forays outside my window. But curiosity is certainly part of it. What I have said about birds also applies to cows and young bulls. They are curious, want to establish relationship their way, by sniffing mainly (to see if I am their farmer in disguise, I always think). And the young bulls compete with one another in showing bravado. That is their communal entertainment.
I think (despite the legends about St Francis etc) that friendship from birds, wolves and so on, has an explanation meaningful from the animals' point of view as well as granting us a magical distinction.
But curiosity coupled with absence of fear, for they can sense we mean them no harm, is probably sufficient explanation. (Plus some birds and animals quickly learn that humans may offer them food.)
But I don't know why robins approach humans so habitually!
Lu, Those are beautiful photos. I don't usually see owls in the day, especially not standing in the grass! What type of bird is that? He's lovely. Your camera takes excellent photos.
I'd say that's a very good thing that they feel so comfortable to come to you.
Vincent, my guess is that they look at me and laugh, saying: that human? she couldn´t hurt a fly! I think their absence of fear comes from a total lack of respect :-D
The ones in the photos usually nest close to my country home, so I´m probably one of the few humans they know, and a quiet one, because they have met my kids and know how to avoid them by now.
Rebb, that is a very common owl in the southern part of South America, where I live. I think in English it is called Burrowing Owl. It is active during the day and spends a considerable time on land.
The other bird is called "quero-quero" here and it´s native to this region. It builds its nests on the ground and can be very aggressive if you approach it. They are good runners. It´s very funny to see them run.
Luciana,
Wow, they're beautiful. I didn't know some owls are active during day. Quero quero sounds a funny bird. I love the name. I took a photo of a bird the other day, so I hope to show that soon.
Hi Keiko, its scientific name is Vanellus chilensis. Quero-quero is beacuse of its call. You can hear it in this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Lapwing
Lu,
Thank you for the site, but unfortunately, I was unable to hear the call.
Also, Japanese describe frogs' crying as kero kero kero. It sounds similar to quero quero.
It didn't sound like quero-quero to me. More like squee-squee. But then, as my wife points out, "cock-a-doodle-doo" is not what roosters say. Then she does a perfect rendition, which I cannot do justice to in transliteration.
Vincent,
In Japanese,roosters cry Kokekkokko! Did she say close to that?
It was more like Err-er-Err-Errrrrrrr, where each "-" represents a glottal stop. She also reminded me that it is necessary to flap one's wings whilst performing it (bend arms and raise elbows sideways).
But that is how roosters speak in Jamaica, with a Jamaican accent.
And if you don't believe that local accents affect animals, then please check out the BBC, famous for its reliability and impartiality: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5277090.stm
Thanks for the link, Vincent. Actually I think we hear differently, according to our native languages; we try to make adjustments between what we hear and the sounds we have available.
Keiko, 'quero' is a verb in Portuguese, it means I want, and it´s pronounced /kéru/. That´s what our Portuguese speaking brain hears when that bird calls. :-)
Lu,
I know that word in Spanish. That's great for birds to say that!
I love it. If I say it repeatedly, I'll be in trouble?!
he,he, Keiko, be careful to go out there saying 'I want, I want'...:-D
Vincent,
I don't know how I missed your comment yesterday.
Your wife must be good at it like Carol Burnett. I looked at the site, but it was a cow. And I couldn't hear the sound.
But it's interesting animals have also regional difference.
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